Hammerheads Stun Mets with 9th Inning Comeback

JUPITER, Fla. (August 6, 2018) – The Jupiter Hammerheads stunned the St. Lucie Mets by scoring three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to win 7-6 on Monday at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.

The Mets enjoyed a 4-0 lead early in the game but the Hammerheads slowly cut into it and finally tied the game in the eighth when Lazaro Alonso singled into right field and Riley Mahan scored all the way from first base with the help of a throwing error.

It looked like the Mets were on their way to a win when Anthony Dimino crushed a two-run home run in the top of the ninth to break the tie and put the Mets up 6-4.

However, the Hammerheads took advantage of a hit batter and a walk to start the bottom of the ninth against reliever Thomas McIlraith.

Mahan and Alonso hit back-to-back RBI single to tie the game 6-6. Mahan went to third base on Alonso’s hit.

Austin McGeorge replaced McIlraith and struck out Jhonny Santos for the second out. Extra innings appeared on the way but a breaking pitch by McGeorge skipped in the dirt away from catcher Ali Sanchez. The wild pitch allowed Mahan to score the winning run.

The four-run advantage was the biggest lead surrendered by the Mets this season. Monday was also the first time this year they lost when taking a lead to the ninth inning.

Starting pitcher David Peterson turned in a quality start. He tossed six innings and gave up three runs (two earned). He walked one and struck out six, the most strikeouts in his nine starts for St. Lucie.

The Mets plated four runs off of Jupiter starter Jorge Guzman in the first three innings. Sanchez clubbed a two-run double in the first inning. In the third inning Mike Paez lofted a sac fly and Blake Tiberi laced a RBI single to put the Mets ahead 4-0.

The Tiberi hit was the last hit the Mets would get until Quinn Brodey started the ninth with a single. Dimino followed that with his dramatic home run.

Paez singled in the first inning to stretch his hitting streak to 17 games. He also hit a double.

Sanchez went 2 for 4 with two RBI.

For Jupiter, Mahan went 3 for 5 with three runs scored and two RBI. Aaron Knapp reached base four times.