Palm Beach Rides Early Homers to Win on Opening Night
JUPITER, Fla. -- Adanson Cruz was penciled in ninth in the opening night lineup for the Palm Beach Cardinals, but the righty was the first to homer at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium in 2022. And he followed his second inning, three-run big fly with a solo home run in the
JUPITER, Fla. -- Adanson Cruz was penciled in ninth in the opening night lineup for the Palm Beach Cardinals, but the righty was the first to homer at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium in 2022. And he followed his second inning, three-run big fly with a solo home run in the fourth.
The center fielder’s homers sandwiched a two-run shot from Elijah Cabell in the third inning, giving the Cardinals a five-run lead that they’d hold onto in their 7-5 opening night victory as the road team against the Jupiter Hammerheads.
Cruz is on 🔥
— Palm Beach Cardinals (@GoPBCardinals) April 8, 2022
Homer number 2⃣ for the No. 9⃣ hitter!
M4
6-1 #BeachBirds pic.twitter.com/hJpoCu9agO
On a night highlighted early by home runs, it was the Cardinals pitching staff that sole the show in Palm Beach's opening night win. Five Cardinals pitchers combined to strikeout 17 Jupiter batters down, while also yielding just a sole walk.
Southpaw reliever Andre Gerard recorded the win, striking out all six batters faced in his two innings. Starting pitcher Inohan Paniagua tossed four frames, striking out eight and walking none while allowing two earned runs. Osvaldo Tovalin logged an RBI single in the sixth, one of the San Diego native’s two hits that co-paced the club Friday night. Catcher Roblin Heredia also reached base twice, both on walks.
.@ChrisGerard3 was 💰 out of the 'pen tonight, striking out all six batters faced!
— Palm Beach Cardinals (@GoPBCardinals) April 9, 2022
We lead 7-5 heading to the ninth! pic.twitter.com/0Q6jQeQFHf
The Hammerheads closed the gap to 6-4 with a trio of runs in the fourth inning, but never got closer to matching the Beach Bird run tally.
Jose Moreno surrendered an unearned run in the seventh and Carlos Guarate had a strikeout in a scoreless eighth.
Palm Beach held on late, aided by a pair of double plays in the eighth and ninth innings. Roy Garcia capitalized on the ninth inning double play to work around a leadoff walk in the final frame, claiming a save.
The Cardinals and Hammerheads are back in action Saturday night at RDCS, with a 6:00 p.m. first pitch in the teams’ season-opening, three game series. Gustavo Rodriguez is slated to take the mound for Palm Beach.
For the final box score, click here.