Flying Tigers blank Mets 5-0

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (July 13, 2024) – The Lakeland Flying Tigers shut out the St. Lucie Mets 5-0 on Saturday night at Clover Park.

Four Lakeland pitchers combined for the shutout. Starter Andrew Sears tossed 5.0 innings and gave up three hits. He walked one and struck out three on his way to earning the win.

Garrett Apker pitched 2.0 hitless innings behind Sears. Eiker Huizi worked around a leadoff walk in the eighth. Connor Holder pitched a 1-2-3 ninth with two strikeouts to finish the game.

Mets starter Joel Diaz was solid over his 5.0 innings. He also gave up just three hits. Diaz did not issue a walk and struck out seven. He was perfect through the first three innings but the Flying Tigers loaded the bases with no outs in the fourth. Diaz navigated the inning surrendering just a sac fly to John Peck that made it 1-0.

Cristian Santana hit a two-out solo homer off Diaz in the fifth. That would be the final run allowed by Diaz.

Lakeland scored two runs in the eighth. Alan Perdomo walked the first two batters of the inning and both came around to score. David Smith hit a RBI single. Kevin McGonigle lofted another sac fly.

One more sac fly by Archer Brookman in the top of the ninth against Nick Bautista made it a 5-0 game. The Flying Tigers have five sac flies in the last two games.

Mets No. 3 prospect Drew Gilbert (hamstring) started a rehab assignment with St. Lucie. The outfielder acquired in the Justin Verlander trade with Houston last summer went 0 for 2 and played six innings in center field.

Jacob Reimer (hamstring), the Mets No. 15 prospect, also started a rehab assignment. He singled and walked twice. Reimer played seven innings at third base.

The Mets were limited to three hits: singles by Reimer, Boston Baro and Jose Hernandez.

Yohairo Cuevas went 0 for 3 and had his 18-game on-base streak snapped.

The Mets (7-13, 29-57) and Flying Tigers (12-8, 54-31) conclude their series at Clover Park on Sunday. First pitch is 12:10 p.m.