Santos closes out game with two scoreless innings
TAMPA, Fla. (August 19, 2021) – The St. Lucie Mets scrapped their way to an 8-7 victory over the Tampa Tarpons on Thursday at Steinbrenner Field.
The Mets overcame a 6-4 deficit by scoring four straight runs without the benefit of a hit to take lead they would not relinquish. Reyson Santos pitched a scoreless eighth and ninth to close out the one-run victory for his team-high eighth save.
The Mets fell behind 3-0 before recording an out in the first inning when starter Luis Moreno was tagged for a three-run homer by Ryder Green.
The Mets fought back with three runs in the top of the second to tie the game 3-3. Alex Ramirez and Cesar Berbesi executed a double steal with Ramirez swiping second base and Berbesi racing home of the throw trying to catch Ramirez.
Tampa scored two more runs in the bottom of the second to jump ahead 5-3. The Mets got a run back in the third inning when JT Schwartz hit a RBI double to score Brandon McIlwain. The double by Schwartz would be the last hit for the Mets in a 26-batter span until Schwartz singled in the ninth.
After Aldenis Sanchez homered for Tampa to make it 6-4 in the third inning, the Mets would find ways to score without a hit.
Rowdey Jordan led off the fourth inning with a walk and aggressively advanced from first base to third base on a ground out by Ramirez. The throw from first baseman Tyler Hardman back to third base to get Jordan sailed into the outfield, allowing Jordan to score and cut the deficit to 6-5.
Matt O'Neill and Jordan both drew walks in the sixth inning and advanced on a wild pitch. Kevin Kendall grounded a ball to Hardman at first that was booted for an error, bringing home both O'Neill and Jordan to give the Mets a 7-6 lead.
Schwartz led off the seventh inning with a walk and went to second on a ground out. He aggressively stole third base, then scored on a ground ball to put the Mets up 8-6.
Sanchez homered again for the Tarpons in the seventh against Liam McCall to make it 8-7. McCall retired the last two batters of the inning to finish his outing with the lead.
McCall (3-1) pitched 2.1 innings of strong relief to get the win.
Moreno hung tough over 4.2 innings after the rough start. He was charged with six runs on nine hits in a no-decision.
Four Tarpons pitchers combined for nine walks. Ben Keizer (2-2) took the loss. He gave up two runs and two inherited runs over 2.2 hitless innings. He walked four and struck out three.
Schwartz went 2 for 4 with a double, walk, RBI and stolen base.
O'Neill reached base four times on a single and three walks.
Jordan went 1 for 2 with a single, two walks, two runs and a RBI from the leadoff spot.
The Mets have won two of the first three games in the series between the Low-A Southeast division leaders. All three games have been decided by one run.
The Mets (49-41) and Tarpons (61-29) play the fourth game of their series at Steinbrenner Field on Friday at 6:30 p.m.
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