PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (April 24, 2018) - The Stone Crabs surrendered leads in both games Tuesday, dropping a doubleheader by scores of 5-3 and 6-5 to the St. Lucie Mets at First Data Field.The Stone Crabs (9-10) led the second game 4-1 entering the bottom of the sixth. Mets
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (April 24, 2018) - The Stone Crabs surrendered leads in both games Tuesday, dropping a doubleheader by scores of 5-3 and 6-5 to the St. Lucie Mets at First Data Field.
The Stone Crabs (9-10) led the second game 4-1 entering the bottom of the sixth. Mets (9-9) second baseman Luis Carpio singled with one out against Charlotte reliever Curtis Taylor before Taylor walked Dan Rizzie. With two on and two outs, Dale Burdick tripled off the right field wall to bring in both runners and make the score 4-3. Jacob Zanon followed by grounding a ball weakly to third, beating it out for an infield single and plating Burdick to tie the game at four.
After the game went to extra innings, the Stone Crabs grabbed their second lead on an RBI single from Jesús Sánchez in the top of the eighth.
In the bottom of the inning, Charlotte righty Yoel Espinal (0-1) hit a batter before allowing a single to load the bases with nobody out. After a Rizzie sacrifice fly tied the game, Espinal issued a wild pitch, which brought in the final run and sealed the Mets' 6-5 win.
Despite the loss, the Stone Crabs' offense did well early against St. Lucie starter Josh Prevost. Josh Lowe singled up the middle in the first before Robbie Tenerowicz clubbed an RBI double to the gap to give Charlotte a 1-0 lead.
In the second, Tristan Gray singled to right before Miles Mastrobuoni moved him to third on a base hit. Joey Roach followed with a single up the middle to extend the Stone Crabs' lead to 2-0. With runners at the corners and nobody out, Justin Bridgman flew out to left to bring home Mastrobuoni and make it 3-0.
The Stone Crabs added another run on a Roach single in the fourth, making the score 4-1 before the bullpen surrendered the lead.
Roach, Lowe, Sanchez and Mastrobuoni all finished with multiple hits in defeat.
In the first game, Sanchez homered to deep right, his team-leading fourth home run of the year. The Stone Crabs also got early runs on a St. Lucie error and a Kevin Padlo RBI double.
Charlotte led 3-1 in the third before the Mets got to Stone Crabs' starter Brandon Lawson (0-2). Lawson allowed four hits in the bottom of the third, including a three-run home run to St. Lucie first baseman Dash Winningham, which proved to be the difference in the game.
St. Lucie starter Justin Dunn (2-1) got the win, allowing three runs on eight hits while fanning six.
The Stone Crabs will look to claim the finale of the series on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. Kenny Rosenberg (1-0, 5.93) will get the ball against Gabriel Llanes (2-1, 4.50) of St. Lucie. Coverage begins at 6:15 p.m. on the Stone Crabs Baseball Network.
