Game Recap: Culpepper, Mighty Mussels shut down St. Lucie Mets, 5-1

 

St. Lucie loses for 15^th time in last 16 road games

 

ST. LUCIE METS PRESS RELEASE: FORT MYERS, Fla. (June 1, 2023) – The Fort Myers Mighty Mussels held the St. Lucie Mets to two hits in a 5-1 victory at Hammond Stadium on Thursday night (Box Score).

 

Mussels starter C.J. Culpepper tossed 5.0 hitless innings. He scattered three walks and struck out six while throwing only 58 pitches.

 

Reliever Jarret Whorff pitched the next two innings and gave up one run on two hits.

 

Juan Mendez struck out the maximum six batters in the final two innings to close out the game.

 

The Mets scored their lone run in the sixth inning when Jacob Reimer smoked a ball 105 mph off second baseman Jorel Ortega for a RBI infield hit that plated Jett Williams. The run cut the Mets deficit to 3-1.

 

The Mussels opened up a 5-1 lead in the bottom of the seventh when Carlos Aguiar crushed a two-run homer, his eighth of the year, off Mets reliever Saul Garcia.

 

Elieser Hernandez made a MLB rehab start for St. Lucie. He pitched a 1-2-3 first inning for the second time in five days.

 

The Mussels went to work against new pitcher Candido Cuevas in the second inning. Mike Perez worked a one-out walk and scored on a double by Rubel Cespedes for the first run of the game. Later with two outs Alec Sayre blooped a RBI single to score Cespedes for a 2-0 lead.

 

Rafael Cruz lofted a sac fly in the third inning to make it 3-0.

 

Cuevas took the loss. He allowed three runs (two earned) on two hits in 3.0 innings. He walked three and struck out three.

 

Yeral Martinez went 1 for 3 with a walk and the other hit for the Mets.

 

The Mets lost their seventh straight road game and have lost 15 of their last 16 away from Clover Park.

 

The Mets (13-33) and Mighty Mussels (27-20) will play a doubleheader on Friday. First pitch in game 1 is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.