O'Neill, Ramirez homer in losses
DUNEDIN, Fla. (August 14, 2021) – The Dunedin Blue Jays swept the St. Lucie Mets in a doubleheader on Saturday at TD Ballpark. The Blue Jays won game 1, 5-2 (Box Score), then beat the Mets 5-3 in game 2 (Box Score).
In game 1, the Blue Jays broke a 2-2 tie with two outs in the sixth inning when PK Morris battled back from a 0-2 count and hit a two-run double off Mets reliever Austin Faith. Harry Ray followed with another double to bring home Morris for a 5-2 lead.
Julian Valdez worked around a hit batter in the top of the seventh to close out the game and earn his second save.
The Blue Jays got solo home runs from Addison Barger in the second inning and Ray in the fifth inning against Mets starter Jose Chacin.
Trailing 2-0 and going on 15 straight innings without a run, the Mets offense came to life in the top of the sixth. Matt O'Neill hit a leadoff homer to make it 2-1. Branden Fryman was hit by a pitch and went to second base on a ground out. Alex Ramirez came to the plate and pounded a double to center field to bring home Fryman and tie the game 2-2.
Dunedin starter Nathanael Perez struck out the next two batters to strand Ramirez at second.
Perez (2-3) got the win. He limited the Mets to four hits and two runs over 6.0 innings. He walked one and struck out eight.
Chacin (3-1) suffered the loss. He was charged with four runs over 5.1 innings. Chacin entered the game 3-0 in three starts with three quality starts.
In game 2, Miguel Hiraldo hit a two-run homer in the first inning off Trey McLoughlin, who was making his St. Lucie debut.
Kevin Kendall hit a two-out RBI single to plate Cesar Berbesi in the third inning to cut the Mets deficit to 2-1.
The Mets made three errors in the bottom of the fourth inning to help the Blue Jays go up 5-1. Hugo Cardona hit a RBI double and Jose Rivas ripped a run-scoring single in the inning.
Ramirez lined an opposite field two-run homer in the fifth inning to make it 5-3.
In the seventh inning Kendall hit his second double of the game to set the Mets up with runners at second and third with one out. However, Jays reliever Thomas Ruwe struck out Jose Colina swinging and Omar De Los Santos looking to end the game.
Kendall went 3 for 4 with two doubles, a single and a RBI.
Leadoff hitter Rowdey Jordan reached base three times. He was 1 for 2 with two walks.
The Mets have lost three in a row coming off their season-long seven-game winning streak. They settled for a 3-3 split with Dunedin.
The Mets (47-40) are off on Sunday and Monday. They continue their Florida west coast road swing on Tuesday when they start at series at the Tampa Tarpons. First pitch Tuesday from Steinbrenner Field is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
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