McIlwain home runs propel Mets to 5-3 win over Cardinals
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (June 11, 2021) – Brandon McIlwain hit two homers and drove in four runs to lift the St. Lucie Mets to a 5-3 victory over the Palm Beach Cardinals on Friday at Clover Park. McIlwain blasted a 400-foot solo bomb to left field in the third
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (June 11, 2021) – Brandon McIlwain hit two homers and drove in four runs to lift the St. Lucie Mets to a 5-3 victory over the Palm Beach Cardinals on Friday at Clover Park.
McIlwain blasted a 400-foot solo bomb to left field in the third inning for the first run of the game. With the Mets trailing 3-2 in the bottom of the seventh, McIlwain hit an opposite field three-run homer just over the wall in right to give the Mets a 5-3 lead.
The homers were McIlwain’s second and third of the year. He is the first Met with a multi-homer game this season.
Mets starter Junior Santos pitched his best game of the season. He tossed five scoreless innings and scattered three hits. He walked three and struck out four while throwing 85 pitches. Santos induced double plays in the first and fifth innings. He wiggled out of a bases loaded jam in the fourth to keep the Mets in front 2-0.
Cardinals outfielder Tommy Jew hit a two-out, three-run homer off Reyson Santos in the sixth inning to give the Cardinals a brief 3-2 lead.
Willy Taveras pitched a scoreless eighth and ninth to clinch the win for the Mets. He struck out four and earned his third save.
Eight of the nine hitters in the Mets lineup registered a hit. Warren Saunders went 3 for 4.
The Mets (20-14) and Cardinals (9-25) meet again on Saturday at Clover Park. First pitch is 6:10 p.m. There will be a fireworks show immediately following the game.