St. Lucie Mets wallop Threshers 13-4 in rain-shorted game

 

Gaddis, Saunders launch three-run homers

CLEARWATER, Fla. (June 30, 2021) – The St. Lucie Mets blew out the Clearwater Threshers 13-4 on Wednesday afternoon at BayCare Ballpark. The game was called due to inclement weather with one out in the bottom of the eighth inning. 

The Mets offense was explosive early, as Nic Gaddis and Warren Saunders each hit a three-run homer as part of a seven-run second inning. 

Matt Dyer went 3 for 4 with a pair of doubles and Jaylen Palmer was 2 for 3 with two runs scored. 

Mets starter Luis Moreno (2-1) pitched a season-high 5.2 innings. He allowed four runs, struck out five and did not walk a batter in picking up the win.

Drake Nightengale pitched the final 1.2 innings scoreless before the bad weather moved in. He was credited with his first save. 

Gaddis blasted his three-run homer off Threshers starter Gunner Mayer (0-2) before an out was recorded in the second inning to put the Mets up 4-0. Saunders cranked his homer 429 feet to left field against reliever Brendan Bell with two outs in the second to make it 7-0. 

The Threshers were able to cut the deficit to 8-4 through four innings. They had two runners in scoring position with no outs in the sixth inning but Moreno got a key pop out and strikeout to keep a run from scoring. Nightengale then got a fly out to end the threat. 

The Mets scored two runs in the top of the seventh on RBI double by Dyer and a sac fly from Joe Suozzi to go up 10-4. 

Suozzi knocked in another run in the eighth for an 11-4 lead. Saunders and Palmer hit back-to-back RBI singles later in the inning to open up a 13-4 lead. 

Saunders finished with a team-high four RBI. 

The Mets (27-22) and Threshers (25-24) will play a doubleheader on Thursday to make up for Tuesday’s rainout. Game 1 will start at 4 p.m. Game 2 will follow approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first game. Both games will be seven-inning contests.