Lakeland swept in doubleheader to Palm Beach

The Lakeland Flying Tigers (35-42, 4-8) relinquished multi-run leads in both games en route to a doubleheader sweep to the Palm Beach Cardinals (42-36, 9-3), falling 7-6 in game one and 10-2 in game two on Thursday night at Joker Marchant Stadium.

Lakeland kicked off the scoring in game one in the opening inning off starter Brian Holiday. Jordan Yost laced an opposite-field leadoff double, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a Josue Briceño RBI single, putting the Flying Tigers ahead, 1-0.

Lakeland added two more runs in the second off Holiday. Nick Dumesnil and Jesus Pinto tallied back-to-back singles and Salas drove in Dumesnil on a groundout. Yost recorded his second hit in as many innings on an RBI single to score Pinto and push the lead to 3-0.

Palm Beach took the lead in the fourth with four runs off starter Malachi Witherspoon. Ryan Weingartner singled, stole second and scored on a single from Matthew Miura. Jonathan Mejía smashed a two-run shot and Yordalin Peña connected on a solo blast for back-to-back homers, giving the Cardinals a 4-3 lead.

Palm Beach tacked on two runs in the sixth off reliever Andrew Pogue. Brayden Smith drew a leadoff walk, Weingartner singled and Miura reached on an error, scoring Smith. Both runners moved up on a hit by pitch to Mejia and Weingartner scored on a Pena sacrifice fly, giving the Cardinals a 6-3 lead.

Lakeland slashed the gap to one with two runs in the bottom half off reliever Nelfy Ynfante. Carson Rucker reached on a fielder’s choice and scored on a two-run blast from Jude Warwick, cutting the deficit to 6-5.

Palm Beach added one in the seventh off reliever Luke Hoskins. After two walks, Ryan Mitchell scored on a throwing error from Rucker, extending the lead to 7-5.

Lakeland added one back in the bottom half off Ynfante. Salas and Yost reached on back-to-back singles and Salas scored on a double play from Beau Ankeney, capping the scoring at 7-6.

Ynfante (2-2) earned the win, going 2.1 innings while allowing three runs on four hits. Witherspoon (3-3) took the loss, allowing four runs on five hits over 4.0 innings while striking out three.

Lakeland began the scoring in game two with two runs in the first off starter Jack Martinez. Warwick smacked a leadoff double and scored on an RBI triple from Ankeney. Zach MacDonald drove in Ankeney on a sacrifice fly, pushing the Flying Tigers ahead, 2-0.

Palm Beach took the lead with seven runs in the third, with six charged to starter Cash Kuiper and one off reliever Duque Hebbert. Trevor Haskins led off the frame with a double and moved to third on a single from Johnfrank Salazar. Sebastian Dos Santos scored Haskins on a single and Yairo Padilla laced a two-run double to give the Cardinals a 3-2 lead. Pinch-runner Chase Heath replaced Padilla and scored on a wild pitch. Brayden Smith and Weingartner walked before Miura drove in Smith. Pena plated Weingartner on a groundout to extend the lead to 6-2. Miura scored on a single from Haskins, his second hit of the inning, making it a 7-2 game.

The Cardinals scored three more in the fourth off Hebbert. Smith tallied an RBI single and Pena collected a two-run double, capping the scoring at 10-2.

Martinez (1-6) earned the win, going a career-high 6.0 innings while allowing two runs on four hits while tying a career-high with nine punchouts and walking just one. Kuiper (1-4) nabbed the loss, allowing a career-high-tying six runs on five hits over 2.0 innings with two walks and one strikeout.

Lakeland looks to knot the series at 2-2 as they host Palm Beach on Friday at 5:00 p.m. The Flying Tigers send RHP Cale Wetwiska (1-0, 3.27) to the hill against Cardinals RHP Andrew Dutkanych (0-1, 5.03).