Hammerheads Drop 8th Straight in 12-7 Loss to St. Lucie

JUPITER, FL – The Jupiter Hammerheads’ (9-20; 39-56) season-long losing streak extended to eight games after a 12-7 loss to the St. Lucie Mets (21-9; 55-40) on Tuesday night at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Jupiter led 7-3 after six innings, but St. Lucie scored nine unanswered runs to cap off a comeback.

Both teams were retired in order in the first inning, but Jupiter got their offense rolling in the bottom of the second inning. The first three batters of the inning reached on walks allowed by St. Lucie relief pitcher Bryce Jenkins, who appeared as part of a Minor League rehab assignment. Jose Chirinos entered out of the St. Lucie bullpen, hoping to keep Jupiter off the board. Cody Schrier, the first hitter Chirinos faced, hit a ground ball between the legs of Chirinos and off the glove of St. Lucie second baseman Trey Snyder into center field. The error allowed two runs to score, but Schrier got credit for an RBI. Jessada Brown added a sacrifice fly later in the inning to give Jupiter a 3-0 lead.

It was smooth sailing for Jupiter starting pitcher Keyner Benitez until the fourth inning. With two outs in the inning, John Bay tagged him for a two-RBI single for his first professional hit and Randy Guzman hit an RBI double to tie the game at 3-3.

Benitez finished his day with three runs allowed over four innings pitched. He allowed four hits and four walks with two strikeouts.

The Hammerheads jumped back out in front in the bottom of the fifth inning. PJ Morlando led off the inning with a single and Carter Johnson reached after getting hit by a pitch by Chirinos. Later in the inning, Andrew Salas drove in Morlando with a two-out RBI single. Schrier then cleared the bases with a three-run home run to left center field. His third home run of the season put Jupiter on top, 7-3.

Wilfredo Henriquez tossed two scoreless innings of relief for the Hammerheads, working around a pair of walks in the sixth inning.

Juan Reynoso entered the game to pitch for Jupiter in the top of the seventh inning. The Mets started the inning with a shallow fly ball by Rafael Ortega that landed between three Jupiter fielders for a double. That kickstarted a three-run frame for the Mets. RBI singles by Trey Snyder and Trace Willhoite around a run-scoring wild pitch put the Mets back within a run, 7-6.

St. Lucie relief pitcher Gregori Louis (W, 1-0) retired the side in order quickly in the bottom of the seventh inning to get the Mets back to the plate. St. Lucie carried their offensive momentum into a six-run top of the eighth inning. The first six Mets hitters in the inning all reached safely against Jupiter relief pitcher Samuel Carpio (L, 3-2; BS, 3). Kevin Vaupel entered in relief for the Hammerheads and got two quick outs, but Willhoite blasted his league-leading 14^th home run of the season, a two-run shot, to give St. Lucie a 12-7 lead.

The Hammerheads face the Mets for game five of this split six-game series on Wednesday, July 30^th with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Jupiter Hammerheads broadcast coverage begins at 6:20 p.m. on the MiLB App, MiLB.TV, Bally Sports Live, and the Hammerheads Audio Stream. Gates will open at 5:30 p.m. Click here to purchase your tickets.

Every Wednesday is a “Silver Sluggers” Wednesday at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. All fans can become a member for just $40 which gets you a ticket to every Wednesday game, an official “Silver Sluggers” T-shirt, a free hot dog and soda, a 10% team store discount, and a chance to win prizes during baseball bingo. Click here to become a “Silver Sluggers” member today.

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.