St. Lucie Game Recap: Flying Tigers Roll to 10-2 Win Over Mets

St. Lucie Mets via X/ Twitter 

Cuevas extends on-base streak to 16 games

Box Score

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (July 10, 2024) – The Lakeland Flying Tigers rolled to a 10-2 victory over the St. Lucie Mets on a soggy Wednesday night at Clover Park.

Lakeland scored four runs in the top of the third inning against Mets starter Saul Garcia. Max Clark got the Flying Tigers on the board with a RBI double. Jose De La Cruz followed with a three-run homer over the batter's eye to make it 4-0.

The Mets loaded the bases in the fourth inning but only managed one run on a walk drawn by Yohairo Cuevas to make it 4-1. The free pass extended Cuevas' on-base streak to 16 games.

The game was delayed by 1 hour and 10 minutes due to a rain delay in the top of the fifth. When play resumed Kevin McGonigle stole third base and scored on a throwing error by catcher Vincent Perozo.

The Flying Tigers broke the game open with a four-run sixth. The Mets and reliever Cristofer Gomez appeared to get out of the inning unscathed but a two-out popup on the infield fell between Diego Mosquera and Ronald Hernandez. A run scored on the play. A throwing error on Perozo brought in another to make it 7-1. De La Cruz then belted a two-run single for a 9-1 lead.

Clark added the final run of the night for Lakeland with another RBI double in the eighth to make it 10-1. Clark and McGonigle, the two first round draft picks by Detroit last year from the high school ranks, combined to go 5 for 7 with three doubles, three walks, three RBI, six runs and three stolen bases.

Estarling Mercado belted a RBI triple in the bottom of the eighth inning for the Mets final run.

Garcia took the loss. He was charged with five runs over 4.0 innings. He walked one and struck out six.

Lakeland reliever Jake Miller improved to 7-1 on the season by holding the Mets to one run over 4.0 innings of relief behind starter Duque Hebbert.

Eight of the nine Mets starters recorded a hit. Hernandez went 2 for 4.

The Mets (6-11, 28-55) and Flying Tigers (10-7, 52-30) play the third game of their series at Clover Park on Thursday. First pitch is set for 6:10 p.m. Fans can enjoy the following items for $2 each: hot dogs; Bud, Bud Light and Busch Light 16 oz. aluminum bottles; Bud Light and Michelob Ultra drafts; 24 oz. fountain sodas; popcorn.