Nightengale strands tying run in 9th
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (August 26, 2021) – The St. Lucie Mets won a 4-3 thriller at Clover Park over the Daytona Tortugas on Thursday night.
Branden Fryman broke a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the eighth with a long sacrifice fly to center field. Kevin Kendall followed by blooping a RBI single into center for a key insurance run to put the Mets up 4-2.
The Tortugas loaded the bases against Mets pitcher Luis Moreno with one out in the ninth inning. Drake Nightengale relieved Moreno and got Jose Torres to hit a sac fly for the second out. Nightengale then struck out Ruben Ibarra on a curveball to end the game with the tying run in scoring position.
Stephen Nogosek (shoulder) made a MLB rehab start for the Mets. He gave up a run on two hits in the first inning but retired three straight to end the frame. It was his only inning of work.
The Mets quickly tied the game 1-1 in the bottom of the first on a two-out RBI double by Brandon McIlwain.
Daytona took a 2-1 lead in the fifth when Daniel Vellojin singled and Justice Robinson scored all the way from first base on an error in right field.
Again the Mets tied the game the next half inning when Warren Saunders blooped a two-out RBI single into right field to bring home Fryman to make it 2-2.
The Mets started the eighth inning rally when Matt O'Neill and Cesar Berbesi worked back-to-back walks off Manuel Cachutt. Rowdey Jordan then dropped down a sac bunt to move runners over. Fryman lifted his sac fly deep to center field on a two-strike pitch.
Fryman went 1 for 2 with a double, walk, hit-by-pitch, two runs scored and a RBI.
O'Neill reached base all four times, once on a single and three times on walks. Berbesi reached base three times on a single and two walks.
Saunders, McIlwain and Kendall had two hits apiece.
Moreno (4-3) got the win. He allowed one run in 3.2 innings.
Saul Gonzalez, the originally scheduled starter before Nogosek's rehab assignment, followed Nogosek and pitched 3.2 innings. He gave up a run on two hits.
The save for Nightengale was his second.
The Mets (51-45) and Tortugas (48-51) play the fourth game of their series at Clover Park on Friday at 6:10 p.m. It's Back to School Night. All K-12 students get in free. School employees can stop by the Chamber of Commerce table to show their school ID to get a free ticket.
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