PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (July 14, 2017) -Michael Paez crushed a grand slam to help the St. Lucie Mets defeat the Daytona Tortugas 8-5 on Friday at First Data Field. The Mets swept the three-game series. The Mets trailed 4-2 with two outs and the bases empty in the fourth inning.
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (July 14, 2017) -Michael Paez crushed a grand slam to help the St. Lucie Mets defeat the Daytona Tortugas 8-5 on Friday at First Data Field. The Mets swept the three-game series.
The Mets trailed 4-2 with two outs and the bases empty in the fourth inning. Wuilmer Becerra singled, Jeff McNeil doubled and John Mora drew a walk to the load the bases. That brought up Paez, who crushed a pitch from Ty Boyles over the left field wall to put the Mets up 6-4.
Mets starter Merandy Gonzalez allowed four runs in the first three innings but retired seven straight batters to finish his night. He won for the third straight start.
The Mets used four relievers for one inning apiece to close out the game. Justin Brantley tossed a perfect sixth. Major league rehabber Josh Smoker allowed a run on three hits in the seventh but escaped a jam.
Alex Palsha worked a scoreless eighth. Tyler Bashlor struck out two in the ninth to secure his ninth save.
Tim Tebow sparked the Mets in the second inning. With the Mets down 3-0, Tebow ripped a RBI triple to score Patrick Mazeika. Tebow then scored on Becerra's single to make it 3-2. The triple extended Tebow's hitting streak to 12 games. He has reached safely in all 17 games with St. Lucie.
Becerra went 3 for 4. Peter Alonso singled three times.
Jeff McNeil went 2 for 4 with two doubles, two runs and a RBI.
The Mets (8-13, 41-48) hit the road on Saturday to start a three-game series at the Fort Myers Miracle. First pitch at Hammond Stadium is set for 6:05 p.m.
