Game Recap and Highlights: Tortugas beat St. Lucie Mets in finale 8-5 to split series

 

Lara hits 7^th home run in losing effort

 

PORT ST. LUCIE Fla. (June 11, 2023) – The Daytona Tortugas defeated the St. Lucie Mets 8-5 on Sunday afternoon at Clover Park to earn a 3-3 series split.

 

The Tortugas mashed six doubles – the most given up by the Mets in a game this season – and scored seven runs between the fifth and seventh innings to build a 7-2 lead.

 

The Tortugas broke a scoreless tie in the fifth inning by scoring three runs off Mets reliever Jawilme Ramirez. Johnny Ascanio led off with a double and scored on another double by Yerlin Confidan to make it 1-0. Carlos Jorge hit a sac fly for a 2-0 lead and Michel Triana scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-0. Daytona scored three runs on wild pitches in the game.

 

Trailing 5-1, Wilfredo Lara launched a solo home run off Frainger Aranguran to make it a 5-2 game in the sixth inning. It was his team-leading seventh home run of the season and the Mets 10^th home run of the series.

 

Daytona went up 7-2 in the seventh on a RBI single by Cade Hunter and another wild pitch to the backstop to bring home Jorge from third base.

 

Vincent Perozo knocked a RBI single in the bottom of the eighth to make it 7-3. Two batters later Yeral Martinez bounced a two-run single to bring the Mets within two, 7-5. However, with runners at the corners and one out, Joseph Menefee induced an inning-ending double play from Kevin Villavicencio to keep the Tortugas in the lead by two.

 

The Tortugas scored a third run on a wild pitch in the top of the ninth to go back up three, 8-5. Easton Sikorski retired the side in order in the bottom of the ninth to close out the game and pick up his fourth save.

 

Ramirez took the loss. He allowed five runs (four earned) on seven hits in 4.2 innings. He walked two and struck out six.

 

Aranguran got the win. He allowed four hits and two runs in 2.2 innings in relief of starter Chis McElvain.

 

McElvain pitched 4.0 no-hit innings. It was the second time he threw 4.0 no-hit innings against the Mets at Clover Park this year.

 

Lara went 2 for 4 with a home run, single, walk and two runs scored.

 

Perozo went 2 for 4 with a pair of singles, a RBI and a run.

 

Jacob Reimer was 0 for 4 and saw the end of his eight-game hitting streak.

 

The Mets lost a weekend home game for the first time in six games.

 

The Mets (19-37) are off on Monday. They start a 12-game, 13-day commuter road trip to Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on Tuesday. First up is a six-game series against the Palm Beach Cardinals. First pitch on Tuesday is 5 p.m.

 

Another Day Another Lara Home Run🤷‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/QP0NHk0JO8

— St. Lucie Mets (@stluciemets) June 11, 2023

Don’t call it a comeback but…🫣 pic.twitter.com/0fMeN4wwNy

— St. Lucie Mets (@stluciemets) June 11, 2023