St. Lucie Game Recap: Tortugas Survive Scare from St. Lucie Mets, Win Series Opener 5-3

St. Lucie Mets Via X/Twitter

Mets pitchers combine for 14 strikeouts

Box Score

By Adam MacDonald, St. Lucie Mets Broadcaster

 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 1, 2024) – The Daytona Tortugas survived a ninth inning rally by the St. Lucie Mets to win the series opener 5-3 at Jackie Robinson Ballpark on Monday night.

 

The Mets entered the ninth trailing 5-1. They quickly loaded the bases against reliever Nick Sando with no outs. Dylan Simmons replaced Sando and was greeted by a sharp double off the third base bag by Diego Mosquera. Two runs scored to make it 5-3 and Mosquera was on second as the tying run.

 

Simmons then struck out Boston Baro, walked Ronald Hernandez with first base open, struck out A.J. Ewing and got Yohairo Cuevas to pop out in foul territory for the final out of the game. Simmons was credited with his second save.

 

The Tortugas jumped out to an early 3-0 lead on a wind-aided three-run homer hit by Yassel Pino in the second inning against Mets starter Franklin Gomez.

 

Daytona starter Jose Montero pitched 4.0 innings of scoreless ball and struck out seven.

 

Sando replaced Montero in the fifth inning and Vincent Perozo hit a leadoff double. Perozo went to third on a ground out and scored on a ground out by Baro to get the Mets on the board.

 

Trailing 3-1 in the seventh, the Mets put the first two runners on base but Sando got a fly out and a double play ball to escape the inning unscathed.

 

Gomez returned to the mound in the bottom of the seventh and the first two Tortugas batters walked and singled. Eduardo Herrera came in with runners on second and third with no outs. He struck out Ricardo Cabrera for the first out but the pitch went to the backstop and Eddy Isturiz scored from third base to make it 4-1. A fielders choice later in the inning hit by Sammy Stafura plated Yerlin Confidan to make it 5-1 Tortugas.

 

Gomez pitched 6.0 inning and gave up five runs on eight hits. He tied his career high with nine strikeouts.

 

Herrera struck out three batters in the seventh inning and Nick Bautista struck out a pair in the eighth. All told the three Mets pitchers combined for 14 strikeouts over eight innings.

 

Kevin Villavicencio led the Mets at the plate by going 2 for 3 with a walk.

 

The Mets (3-7, 25-51) and Tortugas (5-4, 36-39) play the second game of their series on Tuesday. First pitch from Jackie Robinson Ballpark is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.