Cardinals Drop 8-6 11-Inning Heartbreaker to Mets on Wednesday

JUPITER, FL – The Palm Beach Cardinals (14-9) fell, 8-6, in an 11-inning affair against the St. Lucie Mets (13-10) on Wednesday night at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Cardinals starting pitcher Braden Davis struck out a season-high seven batters over five innings of work. Travis Honeyman, Josh Kross, and Sammy Hernandez all had multiple hits for Palm Beach.

St. Lucie scored first in the top of the second inning. Daiverson Gutierrez tagged Davis for his first home run of the season, a solo shot to left to give the Mets a 1-0 lead. The Mets would extend their advantage in the top of the third. With the bases loaded and no outs, Colin Houck grounded into a double play as Simon Juan scored from third base. Davis struck out Nick Roselli to keep St. Lucie’s lead at 2-0 after the top of the third inning.

Palm Beach mounted a response in the bottom of the third inning. Anyelo Encarnacion and Jonathan Mejia worked back-to-back walks to lead off the inning. Josh Kross brought them both home with a two-RBI double to tie the game at 2-2 after the third inning. The Cardinals took the lead in the bottom of the sixth. After Yordalin Pena reached on an error, Jose Suarez brought him home with an RBI single to right field. Sammy Hernandez then hit an RBI double give the Cardinals a 4-2 lead after the sixth inning.

The Mets rallied for three runs in the top of the eighth inning. The first four hitters reached safely against Cardinals relief pitcher Yordy Herrera (BS, 1). Colin Houck tied the game with a two-RBI double down the left field line and Gutierrez drove Houck in with a fielder’s choice hit to short to put St. Lucie in front, 5-4.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, Palm Beach was able to get a run in to force extra innings. After Hernandez and Encarnacion started the inning with singles, Mejia advanced them with a sacrifice bunt. Cade McGee then lifted a sacrifice fly against Hoss Brewer (W, 1-0, BS, 1) to score Hernandez and tie the game at 5-5.

Both teams failed to score in the tenth inning. St. Lucie stranded the bases loaded and while Palm Beach had the placed runner cut down trying to advance on a fly ball to Juan, the right fielder, for his third outfield assist of the game.

The Mets broke the deadlock with three runs in the top of the 11^th inning. Trey Snyder started the scoring with an RBI single off Jack Findlay (L, 0-1). He was followed by an RBI double by Roselli. Christian Worley later gave up a bases-loaded walk to Yohairo Cuevas to give St. Lucie an 8-5 lead after the top of the 11^th inning.

The Cardinals were able to get a run in the bottom of the 11^th inning on a Mejia RBI groundout, but the rally fell short and Palm Beach lost, 8-6.

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About Jupiter Stadium, LTD:

Opening in 1998, the 110-acre complex/stadium is specially designed to house two Major League and two Minor League Baseball Teams. The stadium is home to the Miami Marlins and the St. Louis Cardinals for Spring Training. The Florida State League’s Jupiter Hammerheads (Class A Affiliate of the Miami Marlins) and Palm Beach Cardinals (Class A Affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals) make their home at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium from April through September. This year-round facility can accommodate the smallest birthday party to the largest corporate outing, while never forgetting that each and every fan is our most important product.