7/30/21

PRESS RELEASE - St. Lucie Mets, Tortugas spit Thursday’s doubleheader

 

St. Lucie rallies back for 4-1 victory in game 2

 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 29, 2021) – The St. Lucie Mets and Daytona Tortugas split a doubleheader at Jackie Robinson Ballpark on Thursday. Daytona came from behind to win the first game 4-3 while the Mets put together their own comeback to win the second game 4-1.

 

In game 2, the Mets trailed 1-0 entering the fifth inning. Brandon McIlwain worked a one-out walk and Jose Colina followed with a RBI double that bounded into the Mets bullpen to tie the game 1-1.

 

Colina later scored from third base on a passed ball to put the Mets up 2-1.

 

Alexander Ramirez blooped in a double in the sixth inning to bring home Quinn Brodey for a 3-1 advantage.

 

Colina doubled again to start the seventh inning and he went on to score on a ground out from Anthony Walters for an insurance run.

 

Mets starter Oscar Rojas (3-1) pitched well to earn the victory. After surrendering a RBI double to Allen Cerda with two outs in the first inning, Rojas gave up just one more hit the remainder of his start. Rojas pitched 5.0 innings allowing one run on two hits. He walked two and struck out seven.

 

Reyson Santos pitched the final two innings scoreless for his seventh save. He struck out Brandon Leyton as the tying run to end the game.

 

In game 1, the Mets held a 3-1 lead at the fifth inning stretch but could not hold it. Three times in six innings the Tortugas worked a leadoff walk and all three times that runner came around to score.

 

Jaylen Palmer extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a two-run homer in the third inning to put the Mets up 2-1. In the fourth inning Branden Fryman was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force home Jose Peroza for a 3-1 lead.

 

The Tortugas tied the game 3-3 with a pair of runs in the fifth. Cerda hit a RBI double to make it 3-2. With two outs Elly De La Cruz beat out an infield single and a toss from Mets first baseman Quinn Brodey to pitcher Nolan Clenney covering first base late went over Clenney’s head, allowing Cerda to score all the way from second base to tie the game.

 

Mets reliever Austin Faith walked three batters in the sixth, including leadoff hitter Ashton Creal, and Creal scored the go-ahead run from third base on a sac fly by Wendell Marrero to make it 4-3.

 

Tortugas reliever Wes Robertson pitched a perfect seventh to close out game 1 for his first save.

 

Mets starter Junior Santos threw 89 pitches in 4.0 innings but only gave up one run thanks to inducing two inning-ending double plays. He received a no-decision.

 

The Mets were limited to three hits in game 1 – Palmer’s home run and doubles by Peroza and Brodey. Palmer’s 10-game hitting streak ended with a 0 for 4 game 2.

 

The Mets (40-35) and Tortugas (36-39) play the fourth game of their series at Jackie Robinson Ballpark on Friday at 7:05 p.m.

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