St. Lucie Game Recap: Tortugas Beat St. Lucie Mets 12-3, Claim Series Victory

St. Lucie Mets via X/Twitter

Daytona wins series 4-2

Box Score

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (June 9, 2024) – The Daytona Tortugas defeated the St. Lucie Mets 12-3 on Sunday afternoon at Clover Park. The Tortugas won the final four games of the series to claim the 4-2 series victory.

The Tortugas raced out to a 7-0 lead early by scoring seven runs in the second inning. The inning featured two walks, a hit batter, a wild pitch, two balks and an error that could've ended the inning at 3-0. Johnny Ascanio hit a two-run single in the inning for the first two runs. Later in the inning after a walk, starter Ernesto Mercedes was removed. Ryan Ammons came in and was greeted by an RBI double from Esmith Pineda. Connor Burns, who doubled earlier in the inning, then cracked a two-run triple to make it 7-0.

The Mets scored twice in the bottom of the second on a RBI double by Willy Fanas and a RBI single by Kevin Villavicencio.

Ricardo Cabrera homered in the fourth inning to increase the lead to 8-2. Cabrera hit a two-run double off Juan Arnaud in the fifth inning to make it 10-2. Ariel Almonte followed with a run-scoring single.

Mercedes took the loss. He was charged with six runs (three earned) on two hits over 1.2 innings. He walked three and struck out three.

Daytona starter Nick Payero limited the Mets to two runs in 4.0 innings. He retired the final five batters he faced.

Graham Osman pitched 2.0 innings of relief to get the win. Nick Sando pitched the final 3.0 innings.

After scoring just seven runs and collecting seven hits in the first two games of the series, the Tortugas scored 39 runs in the final four games.

The Mets (19-38) are off on Monday. They return to the diamond on Tuesday when they start a six-game commuter series at the Jupiter Hammerheads. First pitch from Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on Tuesday is 12:05 p.m.

Boston Baro*; DH 0 for 5; 1 K; Jesus Baez; 2B 0 for 3; 1 run; 2 walks; 1 K; Ronald Hernandez#; C 2 for 2; Vincent Perozo*; C 1 for 3; 1 K; Yohairo Cuevas*; RF 1 for 4; double; 1 RBI; 1 walk; 1 K; Colin Houck; SS 0 for 4; 2 Ks; A.J. Ewing*; CF 2 for 4; double; 1 run; 2 Ks; Estarling Mercado; 1B 0 for 4; 1 K; Willy Fanas#; LF 2 for 4; double; 1 run; 1 RBI; Kevin Villavicencio; 3B 1 for 3; 1 RBI; 1 walk; 1 K; Ernesto Mercedes; (L, 0-5) 1.2 innings; 6 runs; 3 ERs; 2 hits; 3 walks; 3 Ks; Ryan Ammons*;  2.1 innings; 2 runs; 2 ERs; 3 hits; 2 walks; 2 Ks; Juan Arnaud;  2.1 innings; 4 runs; 3 ERs; 3 hits; 4 walks; 1 K; Alan Perdomo;  2.2 innings; no runs; 2 walks; 2 Ks;