JUPITER, Fla. (May 17, 2024) – The St. Lucie Mets snapped a 12-game losing streak by hammering the Palm Beach Cardinals 12-5 on Friday night at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.
Mets catcher Ronald Hernandez went 3 for 5 with seven RBI and hit a game-sealing grand slam in the top of the eighth inning for the final runs for the Mets. It was his first home run of the season and the Mets first grand slam this year.
The Mets jumped out to a 4-0 lead through the first two innings. Leading 1-0 in the second inning with the bases loaded, Mets outfielder Jeffry Rosa took a called third strike on a 3-2 pitch that appeared to end the inning. Rosa challenged the umpire's strike call to the ABS system and it was overturned to ball four and a walk that forced in a run for a 2-0 lead. Hernandez followed with a two-run single for a 4-0 lead.
The Cardinals scored two in the third inning against Mets starter Jack Wenninger before an out was recorded to make it 4-2. The Cardinals had runners on first and second in the inning but Wenninger retired three in a row to keep the lead at two runs.
Adari Grant homered in the fourth to cut the Mets lead to 4-3.
Colin Houck hit a clutch two-out RBI double off Benjamin Arias in the seventh inning to boost the Mets lead to 5-3.
Palm Beach tried to rally against Mets reliever Gregori Louis, who was making his team debut, in the bottom of the seventh. Louis walked the leadoff batter and an error followed. The Cardinals scored a run on a ground out to make it 5-4 and the tying run went to third base. Louis walked the next two batters to load the bases but buckled down to get a popout and strikeout to keep the Mets up 5-4.
St. Lucie scored seven runs in the eighth to break the game open. Estarling Mercado crushed a two-run homer off Augusto Calderon to make it 7-4. Calderon and Ettore Giulianelli proceeded to walk the next four batters to force in another run that made it 8-4. That brought up Hernandez who blasted the grand slam against Giulianelli to ice the game.
Eight of the nine batters in the Mets lineup recorded a hit. The only Met without a hit was Rosa but he drew three walks including two with the bases loaded.
Jesus Baez singled in the first inning to extend his hitting streak to 17 games.
Ryan Ammons stranded the tying run at third base and the go-ahead run at second base in the fifth inning. He pitched 2.0 scoreless innings to get the win.
The 12-game losing streak was tied for the second longest in team history. The Mets also snapped an 11-game road losing streak which was tied for the longest in team history.
The Mets (13-24) and Cardinals (21-16) play the fifth game of their series at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.
That was quick! Jesus Baez extends his hitting streak to 17 games with a clean single in the 1st inning. pic.twitter.com/VhZHDsmHBL
— St. Lucie Mets (@stluciemets) May 17, 2024
The Mets are pouring it on late! Ronald Hernandez connects for a GRAND SLAM, his first home run of the season! 12-4 Mets in the 8th. pic.twitter.com/VhqwrjubiH
— St. Lucie Mets (@stluciemets) May 18, 2024
No comments:
Post a Comment