Press Release: St. Lucie Mets Come Back Late, Stun Marauders in Extra Innings Thriller

 

 St. Lucie overcomes 4-run 9^th inning deficit, win 6-5 in 10 

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (July 22, 2021) – The St. Lucie Mets put together an epic ninth inning rally and stunned the Bradenton Marauders with a 6-5 walk-off win in 10 innings on Thursday at Clover Park.

The Mets trailed 5-1 entering the bottom of the ninth and scored four runs to tie the game before making an out. They had the bases loaded still with no outs but Bradenton reliever Enmanuel Mejia wiggled out of the jam to force extra innings. 

The Marauders loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the 10^th but Mets reliever Reyson Santos came in and got two strikeouts and fly out to keep the game tied 5-5. 

Omar De Los Santos started the 10^th inning by beating out an infield single to move Jaylen Palmer, the free runner on second base to start the inning, to third base as the winning run. After the Marauders opted to walk Jose Peroza to load the bases, Alexander Ramirez punched a game-winning single up the middle to beat the drawn-in defense and bring home Palmer for the winning run. 

The Marauders broke a 1-1 tie in the fifth inning on a sac fly from Endy Rodriguez. Jack Herman added a two-out, two-run double later in the inning off Mets starter Oscar Rojas to open up a 4-1 lead for the Marauders. 

After Marauders leadoff hitter Maikol Escotto hit a solo home run in the top of the ninth to make it 5-1 it looked like the deficit would be too much for the Mets. 

However, Palmer set the comeback tone right away in the bottom of the ninth by hustling to second base for a leadoff double on a slicer to shallow right field. Escotto then booted a ball at shortstop off the bat of De Los Santos to keep the Mets momentum going. Peroza then ripped a single to load the bases. 

Warren Saunders drew a walk to force home a run that cut the deficit to 5-2. That free pass chased reliever Eddy Yean from the game. Mejia, who has a 0.00 ERA and eight saves, entered and was immediately tagged for a two-run single by Alex Ramirez to make it 5-4. 

Tanner Murphy hit a single to left field that loaded the bases. Matt Dyer hit an infield single to bring in Warren Saunders for the game-tying run. 

Mejia settled down to get a strikeout, shallow line out and another strikeout to keep the Mets from winning in regulation. 

The Marauders worked a walk and got a single against Brailin Gonzalez to load the bases with no outs in the top of the 10^th. Santos came on and made the best relief appearance of his season with two strikeouts and the fly out to keep the game tied. He got the win to improve to 3-2. 

The Mets only had four hits through the first eight innings. They had seven in the ninth and 10^th. Palmer, De Los Santos and Ramirez each went 2 for 5. 

Alexander Mojica went 5 for 5 with five singles for the Marauders. 

The Mets (37-32) and Marauders (42-26) continue their series on Friday at Clover Park. It's Christmas in July and the first 500 fans will receive a Pete Alonso bobblehead. First pitch is scheduled for 6:10 p.m.