Tapia pitches Mets to a 3-2 win over Manatees
VIERA, Fla. (May 28, 2014) - Domingo Tapia made his best start of the season and led the St. Lucie Mets to a 3-2 win over the Brevard County Manatees on Wednesday at Space Coast Stadium.
Tapia stifled the Manatees over seven shutout innings. He allowed just three singles and three walks. A big part of of Tapia's game was the ground ball out. He induced three double plays.
Tapia's final pitch in the seventh resulted in an inning-ending 5-4-3 double play off the bat of Yadiel Rivera.
Jairo Perez sparked the Mets offense. He was involved in all three runs, driving in two with a single in the first against Hobbs Johnson and scoring the third and final run for the Mets in the fourth on Eudy Pina's sac fly. Perez went 3 for 4.
Randy Fontanez pitched a shaky ninth to earn the save. The Mets took a 3-0 lead to the final frame but Nicky Delmonico doubled home Tyrone Talyor to put the Manatees on the board. With two outs, Alfredo Rodriguez drove in Delmonico to make it 3-2.
Fontanez settled down to get Rivera to ground out to third to end the game with the tying run on first.
Tapia improved to 2-4 on the season. Chase Huchingson pitched a perfect eighth to get his first hold.
Johnson took the loss. He gave up three runs, two earned, and four hits over six innings.
One night after injuring his left ankle fielding a ball in center field, Brandon Nimmo was back in the lineup batting second and playing center. He singled in the first, stole third base and scored.
Third baseman Aderlin Rodriguez was activated off the disabled list and played in his first game since May 14. He went 0 for 4.
The Mets (31-21) snapped a two-game losing streak. They lead the Fort Myers Miracle by 1.5 games for first place in the Florida State League South Division with 18 games remaining in the first half.
The Mets and Manatees (26-25) shift their four-game series to Tradition Field on Thursday. It's Dollar Night in Port St. Lucie. Fans can enjoy $1 beer from 5:30-8:30 p.m., plus $1 soda and hot dogs.