Cardinals Fall to Hammerheads in Extras

Jupiter, FL - The Palm Beach Cardinals (10-7) saw their second extra inning defeat of the season as the fell to the Jupiter Hammerheads (7-10) by a score of 4-3 in eleven innings.

The Rundown

The Palm Beach Cardinals and the Jupiter Hammerheads faced off at Roger Dean Stadium, the place they both call home, for the second time in as many days. Matt Pearce got the start for the Cardinals and threw six innings of two run baseball. He struck out four, walked one, while giving up only four hits on the afternoon.

The first inning went back and forth as Jupiter took an early 1-0 lead on the Cardinals as Dexter Kjerstad started the evening for Jupiter with a triple hit to deep centerfield over the head of Blake Drake. Kjerstad then scored on a ground out to third off the bat of Brian Anderson. Pearce would then end the inning with his first strikeout of the game.

The Cardinals would then take a 2-1 in the home half of the first. Darren Seferina would get things started with a single and advance to second on a passed ball. Oscar Mercado would then get his first hit of the night putting runners on the corners with nobody out. Danny Diekroeger would then hit a high pop fly to short that was dropped allowing Seferina to score from third, but Mercado was thrown out at second on the force out. Casey Grayson would receive a free pass and then Michael Pritchard would hit his third double of the year to allow the Cardinals to take a 2-1 lead.

The pitchers would then duel in the second and the third inning. Jupiter would then tie the game in the fourth inning. On a 0-2 count, Yuniel Ramirez would hit a home run to left center and tie the game at 2 apiece.

Palm Beach would come right back in the fifth inning and take the 3-2 lead when Brian O'Keefe started the inning off with a double and was later brought in to score on an Oscar Mercado single.

Matt Pearce was then replaced in the seventh inning by Pedro Echemendia. Echemendia would give up a home run to John Norwood on a full count and two outs. This would knot the game up at three in the seventh.

Both teams would bring in their better relievers as the bullpens battled it out. The Cardinals had a chance in the tenth as they had the bases loaded with one out. Danny Diekroeger would hit a shallow fly ball to center field and pinch runner, Andrew Sohn, would get thrown out at the plate to end the rally.

The Hammerhead would then take the lead in the eleventh. Taylor Ard would hit a two out double and K.J. Woods would drive him in on a single to right field. Ard would beat the throw to home from Pritchard. The Cardinals would have on last chance as they got two runner on with two out in the bottom half of the frame, but third baseman, Brian Anderson would make a great play to end the inning as he scooped up a scorcher off the bat of Allen Staton. The Cardinals would end up on the losing side 4-3 in eleven.

Stat of the Game

9 - Both teams had nine strikeouts apiece in the contest.

Notes

• Brian O'Keefe got his second hit of the season, both of his hits have been for a double.
• Kevin Herget saw his scoreless streak reach 13.2 innings to start the 2016 season.
• Oscar Mercado got caught stealing for the fourth time this season. Mercado did have a three hit game at the plate while driving one in.
• Silfredo Garcia received his first loss of the season as he gave up the go ahead run in the top of the eleventh inning.

Next Up

Palm Beach will play a road game in their own stadium tomorrow against the Jupiter Hammerheads. The Cardinals will be sending Ian McKinney (1-1) to the rubber against the Hammerheads and Michael Mader.