Game Recap: Cardinals Take Two Games from St. Lucie Mets on Friday

 

 

Tomas Nido begins MLB rehab assignment, catches entirety of second game

 

ST. LUCIE METS PRESS RELEASE: PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (May 19, 2023) – The Palm Beach Cardinals won a pair of games against the St. Lucie Mets on Friday at Clover Park. The Cardinals won the resumption of Thursday's suspended game, 4-3 (Box Score), then defeated the Mets 6-0 (Box Score) in a seven-inning contest.

 

The suspended game was nip and tuck throughout. The game resumed in a scoreless top of the third and the Cardinals struck first when Alex Iadisernia led off with a double and later scored on a two-out RBI single from Won-Bin Cho.

 

Cardinals catcher Carlos Linarez opened the third inning with a home run off Douglas Orellana to make it 2-0 Palm Beach.

 

Orellana excelled afterwards. He ended up holding the Cardinals potent offense to two runs over 5.0 innings. Orellana walked two and struck out seven in a no decision.

 

The Mets fought back and scored the next two runs to tie the game. Scott Ota hit his first home run of the season in the fifth inning to make it 2-1. Carlos Dominguez hit a game-tying RBI single with two outs in the seventh off Roy Garcia to make it 2-2.

 

The Cardinals quickly took the lead back in the top of the eighth against Jimmy Loper. Linarez took a walk and advanced to third on a double by Adanson Cruz. Brandon Hernandez then singled home Linarez for a 3-2 Cardinals lead. Lizandro Espinoza delivered another RBI hit to plate Cruz to extend the lead to 4-2.

 

The Mets got a run back in the bottom of the eighth when Junior Tilien led off with a double and scored from third on a passed ball by Linarez. The tying run went to third on the passed ball but Garcia struck out Kevin Villavicencio looking to keep the lead.

 

Garcia retired the first two batters of the bottom of the ninth. Dominguez drew a walk to keep the game alive for the Mets, but he was caught stealing by Linarez to end the game. Linarez was 3 for 3 in throwing out Mets trying to steal a base.

 

Garcia pitched 2.1 innings to give the win. He gave up one unearned run.

 

Loper allowed four hits and two runs over 2.0 innings. He took the loss.

 

The Mets bashed out 11 hits. Dominguez, Villavicencio and Tilien had two hits apiece. Vincent Perozo was 3 for 4 with a double.

 

For the second time in the series the Cardinals had eight of nine batters in the lineup record a hit. Cho led the way, going 3 for 5.

 

In the seven-inning game later in the evening, the Cardinals took advantage of the wildness of Mets starter Layonel Ovalles. Ovalles walked the first three batters of the second inning. Darlin Moquete hit a chopping infield single to put the Cardinals on the board with a 1-0 lead.

 

Ovalles retired the next three in a row without allowing another run to limit the damage to one.

 

Iadisernia made it a 2-0 game in the third with a leadoff home run.

 

The game spiraled on Ovalles when he agains walked the first three batters of the fifth inning. Jean Calderon came in from the bullpen and was greeted with two flair RBI singles from Leonardo Bernal and Cho that put the Cardinals up 4-0. Moquete followed with a sac fly for a 5-0 lead.

 

After recording a couple outs, Calderon walked Javier Bolivar and Chris Rotondo to force in another run to push the Cardinals lead to 6-0.

 

Meanwhile Palm Beach starter Hancel Rincon was on cruise control. After allowing a hit and a walk in the second inning, Rincon proceeded to retire the next 13 Mets in a row.

 

Rincon pitched 6.0 innings and gave up just two hits. He walked one and struck out two. It was his fourth game of the season pitching at least six innings and allowing no earned runs.

 

Ovalles suffered the loss. He walked eight batters and gave up five runs in 4.0 innings.

 

The game featured a major league rehab appearance from New York catcher Tomas Nido. Nido went 1 for 3 with a single and caught all seven innings. He is working his way back from dry-eye syndrome.

 

Friday was Nido's first game as a St. Lucie Mets since he won the Florida State League batting title in 2016 and was a FSL All Star that season.

 

The Cardinals extended their winning streak to six game while the Mets lost a season-high ninth straight game.

 

The Mets (8-29) and Cardinals (24-13) play the fifth game of their series on Saturday. First pitch at Clover Park is 6:10 p.m. Saturday is Faith Night with postgame fireworks and a postgame worship concert.