Game Recap: Flying Tigers sweep St. Lucie Mets in doubleheader

 

Mets pitchers combine for 16 walks, 4 hit batters and 5 wild pitches in 2 games

 

LAKELAND, Fla. (July 6, 2023) – The Lakeland Flying Tigers swept the St. Lucie Mets in a doubleheader on Thursday at Joker Marchant Stadium. The Flying Tigers won game 1, 4-2 (Box Score), then beat the Mets 13-6 in game 2 (Box Score).

 

The Mets won five of their first six doubleheaders game this season but have now lost five doubleheader games in a row.

 

In game 1, walks and hit batters doomed the Mets chances to win. Mets starter Douglas Orellana plunked or walked five batters in a row in the third inning to force in two runs. He threw 13 balls in a row at one point, including back-to-back four-pitch walks to Andrew Jenkins and Mike Rothenberg with the bases loaded to gift the Flying Tigers a 2-0 lead.

 

Remarkably, Orellana struck out the next two batters on a combined seven pitches to escape further damage with the bases loaded.

 

With the game tied 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth with two outs, reliever Saul Garcia walked Seth Stephenson on four pitches. The next batter Luke Gold hit a go-ahead two-run homer.

 

The Mets had runners at the corners down to their final out in the seventh with Wilfredo Lara at the plate. Lara lofted a shallow fly ball to center that was raced down by Stephenson to end the game.

 

The Mets outhit the Flying Tigers 7-3 in the loss. The Mets hit for the cycle as a team in their first four at-bats of the fourth. Lara hit the first pitch of the inning for a home run off starter Ulices Campos. It was Lara’s team-leading 10^th homer of the year. Vincent Perozo followed with a double. Jose Hernandez then hit a single to left, but Perozo was thrown out at the plate for the first out of the inning, stifling a big rally. The next batter Jefrey De Los Santos punished a RBI triple to right field to plate Hernandez and tie the game 2-2.

 

The Mets had a chance to drive in De Los Santos from third base with one out, but Campos struck out Karell Paz to keep the game tied. Campos then got a fly out from Yeral Martinez to get out of the inning.

 

Orellana received a no decision. He was charged with two runs despite not giving up a hit in 3.0 innings. He walked five, plunked two and struck out five.

 

Garcia took the loss. He allowed two runs on three hits over 3.0 innings. He walked two and struck out four.

 

Max Alba got the win. He blanked the Mets over 1.2 innings. Jose Diaz pitched a scoreless seventh for his first save.

 

Three of the four runners who crossed the plate for the Flying Tigers reached base on a walk or hit-by-pitch. Stephenson, the leadoff hitter, was walked twice and plunked once. In the first two games of the series he reached base five times in eight plate appearance but only once on a hit.

 

In game 2, the Mets jumped out to a 2-0 lead as their first five hitters reached base against a Colin Fields. Jett Williams ripped a RBI single for a 1-0 lead and Karell Paz scored on a dropped popup to make it 2-0.

 

However, Mets starter Jordany Ventura endured his worst outing of the year. The Flying Tigers tagged him for a three runs in the first inning. He walked three batters in a row to force in a run then gave up a two-out, two-run double to Moises Valero that put Lakeland up 3-2.

 

Alvaro Gonzalez led off the second inning with a long home run to right field. Two more walks opened the door for Christian Santana to blast a three-run homer later in the inning to make it 8-2.

 

Ventura came back out for the third inning but was removed after walking consecutive hitters. Both walks came in to score on a fielding error by Yeral Martinez at first base.

 

Ventura was charged with 10 runs (eight earned) over just 2.1 innings. He gave up five hits, walked seven, threw three wild pitches and struck out three.

 

The Mets eventually fell behind 13-3 but a bright spot was 2.0 scoreless innings pitched by Luis A. Rodriguez. He has allowed just one hit and one unearned run across 11.2 inning between the FCL Mets and St. Lucie.

 

Scott Ota went 2 for 4 with a pair of singles, a walk, RBI and run from the leadoff spot.

 

Fernando Villalobos reached base three times on a double and two walks.

 

Martinez also reached three times on a single, walk and hit-by-pitch.

 

Williams was 1 for 3 with two RBI.

 

The Mets (3-8, 27-49) and Flying Tigers (7-5, 33-44) play the fourth game of their series at Joker Marchant Stadium on Friday. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.