St. Lucie Game Recap: St. Lucie Mets Rally Late, Stun Threshers 5-4 at Clover Park

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Mets steal 5 bases in 8^th inning to take lead

Box Score

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (May 21, 2024) – The St. Lucie Mets returned to Clover Park after a 1-11 road swing and stunned the Clearwater Threshers with a 5-4 comeback win on Tuesday night.

The Threshers, who entered the game with the best record in the FSL, scored two batters into the game when Aidan Miller doubled home Trent Farquahar for a 1-0 lead. Bryson Ware hit a one-out RBI single later in the inning to make it 2-0 and reload the bases. 

Mets starter Zach Thornton got a crucial double play to get out of the inning and keep the deficit at two runs. 

Thornton allowed a two-out RBI single to Nikau Pouaka-Grego in the third inning that made it 3-0 but otherwise settled in nicely. He lasted 4.2 inning and scattered six hits. He was charged with three runs (two earned) while walking two and striking out three. 

Meanwhile, Threshers starter Micah Ottenbreit was mowing through the Mets lineup. He retired 17 of the first 19 batters he faced and was pitching a one-hit shutout through six innings. However, the Mets got to him in the seventh. Jesus Baez started the inning with a single and he scored on a Colin Houck RBI double. Boston Baro scored on a wild pitch to make it a 3-2 game. 

The Threshers got a run back in the top of the eighth when Ware blooped a RBI single off Mets reliever Gregori Louis to make it 4-2. 

The Mets scored three in the eighth by using their legs to steal five bases and take the lead. Reliever Josh Bortka walked Jose Hernandez and plunked Kevin Villavicencio to start the frame. After a sac bunt try ended in a foul out, Hernandez and Villavicencio executed a double steal. Baez hit a sharp single to bring in Hernandez to make it 4-3. Baez then stole second base and the throw from catcher Luis Caicuto sailed into center field for an error allowing Villavicencio to score the tying run from third. 

On the next pitch Baez stole third base and Caicuto's throw again was off line and trickled into left field allowing Baez to score the go-ahead run for a 5-4 lead. 

Louis retired the first two batters of the ninth and got a soft pop out to Houck at shortstop with a runner on first base to end the game. 

Louis was credited with the win. Cristofer Gomez, who replaced Thornton, tossed 2.1 hitless and scoreless innings as the bridge to Louis. 

Baez went 2 for 4 with two singles and two steals. 

The Mets (14-26) and Threshers (27-13) have a quick turnaround. The teams play the second game of their series on Wednesday at 11:10 a.m. It's the Mets annual Education Day game.