St. Lucie 7 - Palm Beach 4

JUPITER, Fla. (May 5, 2018) – The St. Lucie Mets snapped a three-game losing streak with a 7-4 victory over the Palm Beach Cardinals on Saturday at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.

The Mets jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the third inning. After the Cardinals scored three runs over the fourth and fifth innings to dwindle their deficit to 4-3, the Mets plated three in the eighth to pull away.

The big blow came with the bases loaded in the third. Ian Strom hit a grounder to shortstop Kramer Robertson, who bobbled the ball and threw it away down the first base line to allow all three runners to score.

Luis Carpio then hit a RBI double to bring in Strom to make it 4-0.

The Cardinals had the bases loaded and one in the fourth inning. With the Mets lead down to one, Luis Carpio made a diving stop at second base on a Johan Mieses grounder and started an inning-ending double play to preserve the Mets’ lead.

Dan Rizzie and Gene Cone hit back-to-back RBI singles in the eighth and Andres Gimenez capped the inning with a RBI sac fly to put the Mets back up by four, 7-3.

Ryder Ryan gave up three hits to start the ninth but settled down to retire three in a row, including two on strikeouts, to end the game.

Mets starter Gary Cornish came off the DL and made his second start of the season. He earned the win after tossing five innings and allowing three runs.

Relievers Stephen Nogosek and Joe Zanghi combined for three scoreless innings with four strikeouts.

Carpio, Cone and Jacob Zanon had two hits apiece. Gimenez had his seven-game hitting streak snapped but he was hit by a pitch twice, scored a run and drove in a run.

The Mets (12-16) and Cardinals (16-13) meet in the rubber game of their series on Sunday. First pitch from Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium is 1 p.m.