Lakeland 9 - St. Lucie 3

LAKELAND, Fla. (June 10, 2018) – The Lakeland Flying slugged their way to a 9-3 win over the St. Lucie Mets on Sunday at Joker Marchant Stadium. 

The Flying Tigers only managed five hits, but two swings accounted for four of their runs. Daniel Pinero broke the game open with a three-run homer in the fourth inning to give Lakeland an 8-3 lead. Cam Gibson hit a solo home run in the eighth inning to complete the scoring.

Mets pitchers Blake Taylor and Adam Atkins both struggled with command before departing with apparent ailments. Taylor only record two outs in the first inning before departing. He allowed three runs despite not giving up a hit. Atkins allowed two runs in one inning and was hit in the leg by a broken bat on a ground ball. He left with two outs in the second inning and the Mets trailing 5-1.

Desmond Lindsay hit a solo home run in the second. Michael Paez delivered a RBI single in the third to cut the deficit to 5-2. However, Pinero’s home run put the game out of reach.

Lakeland starter Tom de Blok earned the win. He held the Mets to two hits and two runs in six innings.

Trey Teakell pitched the final three innings for his first save.

The Mets used six pitchers. Ezequiel Zabaleta didn’t allow a hit or run in two innings.

Ian Strom went 1 for 1 with a single, walk, hit-by-pitch, two runs and a stolen base.

Andres Gimenez was 1 for 4 with RBI single.

Lakeland won the series despite amassing just nine total hits in the three games.