Mets demolish Flying Tigers 17-0 in series finale
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (July 14, 2024) – The St. Lucie Mets demolished the Lakeland Flying Tigers 17-0 on Sunday afternoon at Clover Park to earn a 3-3 series split. It was the final game before the four-day All Star break. The Mets set season highs in runs, walks (13)
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (July 14, 2024) – The St. Lucie Mets demolished the Lakeland Flying Tigers 17-0 on Sunday afternoon at Clover Park to earn a 3-3 series split. It was the final game before the four-day All Star break.
The Mets set season highs in runs, walks (13) and margin of victory. Every St. Lucie batter had a hit. Seven pitchers combined for the first home shutout of the season. The Mets scored in six of their eight innings at the plate.
Ronald Hernandez went 2 for 4 with a homer, three walks and four RBI. He reached base five times. Willy Fanas was 4 for 6 with three runs scored. Boston Baro went 3 for 6 with three RBI from the leadoff spot.
A.J. Ewing and Colin Houck each went 2 for 4.
The homer by Hernandez was the Mets only extra base hit.
The Mets scored five runs in the first inning against Lakeland starter Zack Lee. Yohairo Cuevas and Houck hit back-to-back two-run singles to make it 4-0. An error on center fielder Brett Callahan helped another run cross for a 5-0 lead.
Hernandez hit his solo homer in the second inning to make it 6-0. A Baro ground out, Hernandez infield single and Ewing sac fly all pushed home a run in a three-run third inning that made it 9-0.
The Mets scored a pair of runs in the fourth on a Baro RBI single and a Hernandez RBI ground out.
Lakeland reliever CJ Weins walked Mosquera, Baro, Hernandez and Ewing with the bases loaded to force home four runs with two outs in the fifth inning. The walkathon increased the Mets lead to 15-0.
The Mets scored their final two runs in the seventh inning when Cuevas was plunked with the bases loaded and Hernandez scored on a wild pitch.
Mets starter Franklin Gomez pitched the first three innings and gave up just one hit. Six relievers each pitched one inning: Miguel Alfonseca, Zach Thornton, Cristofer Gomez, Eduardo Herrera, Gregori Louis and Layonel Ovalles. Thornton pitched a perfect fifth inning with two strikeouts in his first game off the IL and was credited with the win.
The Flying Tigers used eight pitchers. Their most effected hurler was infielder Alvaro Gonzalez who pitched 1.1 scoreless innings to finish out the game.
The Mets (8-13, 30-57) are off the next four days for the MLB All Star break. They return to the diamond on Friday when they start a three-game road series at the Jupiter Hammerheads. First pitch at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on Friday is 6:30 p.m.