Mets break through in 12th, edge Yankees 2-0

TAMPA, Fla. (June 29, 2015) - It took until the 12th inning, but the St. Lucie Mets finally scored a run and went on to beat the Tampa Yankees 2-0 on Monday at Steinbrenner Field.
 
With the game tied 0-0 in the top of the 12th, the Mets loaded the bases with one out and got a bloop hit into center field from Colton Plaia that plated Dominic Smith to make it 1-0. Victor Cruzado later scored on a passed ball by Kyle Higashioka to put the Mets up 2-0.
 
Josh Smoker struck out Ericson Leonora as the tying run to end the game in the bottom of the 12th. It was Smoker's fifth save.
 
Kyle Regnault pitched a perfect 11th win two strikeouts to earn the win.
 
Mets starter John Gant was dynamic. He held the Yankees to three singles and one walk while striking out 10 batters in eight innings.
 
Robby Coles chipped in by pitching a scoreless ninth and 10th.
 
The Mets only had a chance to win it in 12 because of left fielder Stefan Sabol. With one out in the 10th, Leonora hit a ball to the wall in left field. Sabol timed his jumped, leaped at the wall and took back what would have been a game-winning home run.
 
The Mets outhit the Yankees 9-3. All 12 hits in the game were singles.
 
Yankees starter Gabriel Encinas held the Mets to four hits in seven scoreless innings. Reliever Evan Rutckyj struck out six batters in four scoreless innings.
 
Luis Niebla took the loss after allowing the two runs, one earned, on three hits and a walk in the 12th.
 
The four the Mets pitchers - Gant, Coles, Regnault and Smoker - combined to strike out 16 batters.
 
The Mets struck out 14 times at the plate.
 
Jeff McNeil went 1 for 5 to extend his hitting streak to nine games. Sabol and Phil Evans had two hits apiece.
 
The Mets (37-36, 3-2) lead the series against Tampa 2-1 and they'll go for the series victory in the finale on Tuesday at 7 p.m. The Mets were swept at Steinbrenner Field last year. The game can be heard on www.stluciemets.com.