Cardinals slug way to comeback victory over Lakeland

When the chances of a comeback seemed bleak, the Cardinals offense exploded for four runs in the sixth inning, capped by a two-out, two-run homer from Dylan Carlson that gave Palm Beach (51-40) a lead they would not relinquish. After the bullpen sealed the game, the Cardinals took the game, and the series, by a 7-6 score.
Lakeland (51-44) got on the board early and scored twice in the opening frame. They would add a third run, extending its lead to 3-0 in the third on Danny Pinero's RBI single.
The Cardinals cut the deficit to one run in the home half of the third. Danny Hudzina hit a home run to straight-away center field, his third, and Brian O'Keefe hit a sacrifice fly later in the inning.
The visiting Flying Tigers got those runs right back in their next time at the plate, tacking on two more on a Dylan Burdeaux ground-rule double that extended the lead back to 5-2.
That's all Palm Beach starter Evan Guillory would last as the 22-year-old allowed five earned runs on 10 hits in 3 2/3 innings.
Lakeland had one more runner cross the plate in the fifth, extending its lead to a game high three runs.
Palm Beach chipped first chipped away at the margin, tallying one run in the fifth on a Brian O'Keefe grounder that was booted and saw Hudzina score.
Then, in the sixth, the Cardinals did their thing. Danny Hudzina grounded out, scoring McCarvel and making it a 6-4 game.
With two outs, Chase Pinder hit his third homer of the season to left-center field making it a 6-5 ballgame still in favor of Lakeland.
Kramer Robertson was then hit by a pitch and Dylan Carlson crushed a ball over the left field fence, just inches from the foul pole, which gave Palm Beach a 7-6 lead. It was his seventh homer of the season.
The Cardinals bullpen then shutout Lakeland, eliminating any chance of the visitors coming back. After scoring in four of the first five innings, Estarlin Arias, Jacob Patterson, and Eric Carter kept Lakeland off the board in the final four frames.
Arias (1-0) earned the victory after throwing 1 2/3 innings, striking out three. Patterson pitched a perfect seventh before Eric earned a two-inning save, his third of the year.
At the plate, Carlson finished with a game high three hits to go along with his two RBI. O'Keefe and Hudzina also added two RBI.
The Cardinals will welcome St. Lucie into town on Thursday for the start of a three game series. It'll be Golf Night with over 18 rounds of golf and tons of equipment to be given away. It's also a Thirst Thursday which means $1 drafts and $2 craft beer refills with a Tire Kingdom red solo cup.
Tickets and more info can be found at Rogerdeanchevroletstadium.com/tickets-events