Cardinals Losing Streak Extends to Seven Games With Loss to St. Lucie Friday Night

JUPITER, FL – The Palm Beach Cardinals (22-27) lost their season-high seventh consecutive game after falling 16-1 to the St. Lucie Mets (28-21) on Friday night at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. The Mets scored 13 unanswered runs while the Cardinals only had two hits against the St. Lucie pitching staff.

St. Lucie jumped out to an early lead in the top of the second inning. The Mets started the inning with a single by Daiverson Gutierrez and then Yohairo Cuevas was hit by a pitch from Cardinals starting pitcher Jason Savacool (L, 4-2). Trace Willhoite followed with a three-run home run to left field to give the Mets a 3-0 lead. It was the first home run Savacool allowed this season after 46 innings pitched.

The Cardinals got a run back in the bottom of the fourth inning. Luis Pino reached on an error by Mets shortstop Colin Houck. Deniel Ortiz brought him home with an RBI double to left center field to cut the deficit to 3-1 for Palm Beach.

St. Lucie broke the game open with 13 runs between the sixth and eight innings. The onslaught began with six runs in the top of the fifth inning. After a walk and an Ortiz error began the inning against Savacool, Jack Findlay entered out of the Cardinals bullpen. The first batter to face Findlay struck out, but Wilhoite followed with his second three-run home run of the game to extend the Mets lead to 6-1. Kevin Villavicencio hit an RBI double and Houck had an RBI single later in the inning as St. Lucie stretched their lead to 8-1.

Savacool finished his night with five runs allowed, four earned, on four hits and two walks in five innings pitched. He struck out two St. Lucie hitters.

St. Lucie starting pitcher Edgar Moreta (W, 3-2) allowed just one unearned run over five innings. He only allowed one hit and three walks with a season-high six strikeouts.

St. Lucie tacked on four more runs in the top of the sixth inning to pull further ahead by a 13-3 score. Willy Fanas hit an RBI single and Villavicencio hit a three-RBI triple against Cardinals relief pitcher Conor Steinbaugh.

The Mets added three more runs against Palm Beach relief pitcher Randel Clemente in the top of the eighth inning. The highlight of the inning for St. Lucie was a two-RBI double by Nick Roselli. An RBI groundout by Fanas made it a 16-1 game.

Charles Harrison pitched a scoreless top of the ninth inning to finish the game strong for the Palm Beach pitching staff but the Cardinals ultimately fell by the 16-1 final score.

Deniel Ortiz had a good night at the plate, as he hit an RBI double in the bottom of the fourth inning and walked twice.

The Cardinals continue their three-game weekend series with the Mets on Saturday, May 31^st with first pitch scheduled for 6:00 p.m. Click here to purchase your tickets.

Every Saturday is a “Kids Club” Saturday at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. For just $30, all fans 15 and under can join the membership which gets a ticket to every Saturday game, an official Kids Club T-shirt, a free hot dog and soda, participation in weekly activities on the concourse, and the opportunity to run the bases after every Saturday game. Click here to become a Kids Club member.

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.