Game Recap: St. Lucie Mets Score 4 in the 9th, Rally Past Threshers 11-8

Photo/Graphic courtesy of St. Lucie Mets via twitter

Salazar crushes go-ahead 3-run homer in 9th 

CLEARWATER, Fla. (August 12, 2022) – The St. Lucie Mets rallied for four runs in the top of the ninth inning to beat the Clearwater Threshers 11-8 on Friday at BayCare Ballpark. (Box Score)

The Threshers entered the ninth with an 8-7 lead and Tristan Garnett on the mound, a reliever who had only allowed one run in 21 innings this season. Junior Tilien started the frame by crushing home run to left field to tie the game 8-8. It was his 12^th homer of the season. 

Later in the ninth inning with two outs, Eduardo Salazar crushed a 0-2 pitch from Garnett to left field for a 445-foot three-run homer to put the Mets up 11-8. It was the first home run and first RBI for Salazar with St. Lucie. 

The Mets hit four homers in the game. Omar De Los Santos hit his 13^th long ball of the year in the first inning. Carlos Dominguez hit his FSL-leading 18^th home run in the third inning. 

The Mets trailed 6-3 after six innings but scored four runs in the seventh to take the lead. Raul Beracierta hit a two-run single to make it 6-5, Dominguez singled home a run to tie the game and Tanner Murphy followed with a RBI double to plate Beracierta for a 7-6 Mets lead. 

The Threshers answered with two runs in the bottom of the seventh to go back ahead. Wilfredo Flores tied the game with a run-scoring single and Erick Brito beat out a potential inning-ending double play ground ball to bring home the go-ahead run from third base to put the Threshers up 8-7. 

Kolby Kubichek (1-0) pitched three innings of relief in his first game with St. Lucie this season to get the win. He allowed two runs on three hits with three walks and three strikeouts. 

Benito Garcia pitched a scoreless ninth to get the save. He induced a game-ending 5-6-3 double play off the bat of Flores. 

Dominguez went 4 for 5 to lead all hitters. Blaine McIntosh, De Los Santos and Beracierta all had two hits. 

The Mets (62-43, 22-18) and Threshers (49-56, 14-26) play the fifth game of their series at BayCare Ballpark on Saturday. First pitch is 6:30 p.m.