Cardinals Close Series With Win Over Fort Myers
The Palm Beach Cardinals never trailed in Sunday's series finale against the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium, winning 5-1 to claim their second straight victory this weekend. For the second game in a row, Joshua Baez opened the scoring. While the No. 11 overall Cardinals prospect
The Palm Beach Cardinals never trailed in Sunday's series finale against the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium, winning 5-1 to claim their second straight victory this weekend.
For the second game in a row, Joshua Baez opened the scoring. While the No. 11 overall Cardinals prospect according to MLB Pipeline didn't replicate Saturday's two-homer display, Sunday's designated hitter did single in the third inning to give the Beach Birds an early advantage.
Baez picks up where he left off a night ago!
— Palm Beach Cardinals (@GoPBCardinals) August 21, 2022
This two-out single opens the scoring in the third, and the #BeachBirds go ahead 1-0! pic.twitter.com/MDyFVOILid
After the Mussels tied the game a frame later, Palm Beach regained the lead with a double off the bat of catcher Jimmy Crooks in the home half of the fourth.
Jimmy Cooks!
— Palm Beach Cardinals (@GoPBCardinals) August 21, 2022
Crooks with a double to the corner to help us regain the lead!
After 4
2-1 #BeachBirds pic.twitter.com/oQ9hDdBN6R
The Cardinals secured their four-run lead that stood in the fifth, when RJ Yeager tripled the bases clear for a pair of runs. The undrafted product from Mississippi State would score later in the inning on a wild pitch.
Clear the bases!
— Palm Beach Cardinals (@GoPBCardinals) August 21, 2022
Yeager connects on this triple to score a pair, and after a wild pitch later in the inning, we extend our lead through 5!
It's now 5-1 #BeachBirds pic.twitter.com/ysRvf0tAza
Hancel Rincon recorded his first win on Sunday, with the starting pitcher tossing five innings and allowing just one unearned run while walking just one batter and striking out seven. The contest was the Dominican's sixth with Palm Beach after being promoted from the Rookie Leagues in July.
Gustavo Rodriguez pitched three shutout innings while striking out a pair, before the Cardinals turned to Andrew Marrero to finish the game with a shutout ninth.
The Cardinals are next in action at 6:10 p.m. on Tuesday at Clover Park for the first of six games against the St. Lucie Mets. The series will be pivotal in the race for the Florida State League East Division second half championship, and the playoff berth that comes with that crown.
For Sunday's final box score, click here.