Adkison's Walk-Off Home Run Powers Palm Beach to 2-1 Victory Over St. Lucie

Chase Adkison launched a two-run, walk-off home run for his first of the season in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Palm Beach Cardinals (20-15) a 2-1 victory over the St. Lucie Mets (12-23) on Wednesday night at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Palm Beach earned their 20th win of the season becoming the fourth FSL team to reach the feat in 2024 and also take the first two games of the series against St. Lucie.

The ballgame was a pitchers duel through the first three innings between Cardinals starter Darlin Saladin and Mets starter Kade Morris. The Mets struck first in the top of the fourth inning when Jesus Baez led off with a single. Later with two outs, Colin Houck hit a line drive RBI single to center field to put the Mets on top 1-0. The one run allowed was the only blemish for Saladin on the mound who finished with five innings pitched on four hits while tallying eight strikeouts.

Morris turned in his best performance of the season for St. Lucie with his seven shutout innings and six strikeouts as Palm Beach had very few answers against him.

After Hunter Hayes and Luis Gastelum (W, 1-0) came out of the Palm Beach bullpen and tossed a combined four scoreless innings, the Cardinals came up in the bottom of the ninth inning still trailing 1-0. Zach Thornton (L, 1-2; BS, 2) went back on the mound for St. Lucie in his second inning of relief. Johnfrank Salazar led off the frame with an infield single and Tre Richardson came in to pinch run. After Miguel Villarroel lined out to shortstop for the first out, Adkison came up to the plate. On a 2-2 count, Adkison hit his first home run of the season down the left field line at 100 miles per hour for 359 feet to walk it off for the Beach Birds securing the 2-1 victory on Wednesday.

It was the second walk-off win of the season for the Cardinals having previously done it on April 5th when Jose Cordoba hit the game-winning RBI single in the bottom of the tenth inning against Jupiter in a 6-5 victory on Opening Night.

Adkison finished the day going 2-for-4 at the plate. His home run is the 10th home run hit by Palm Beach in 2024 and is just the second home run hit at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium by a Cardinal hitter. Salazar extended his team-high hitting streak to eight games by finishing 2-for-4 at the plate. Villarroel has now hit in six-straight games and has a hit in 12 of his last 13 games. Villarroel also extended his league lead in hits with 46.

Palm Beach looks for their third win in a row in game three of the series against St. Lucie on Thursday, May 16th with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Click here to purchase your tickets. Click here to become a member of the Thirsty Thursday program for fans 21 years or older.

About Jupiter Stadium, LTD:

Opening in 1998, the 110-acre complex/stadium is specially designed to house two Major League and two Minor League Baseball Teams. The stadium is home to the Miami Marlins and the St. Louis Cardinals for Spring Training. The Florida State League’s Jupiter Hammerheads (Class A Affiliate of the Miami Marlins) and Palm Beach Cardinals (Class A Affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals) make their home at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium from April through September. This year-round facility can accommodate the smallest birthday party to the largest corporate outing, while never forgetting that each and every fan is our most important product.