Rosa's two homers lift Jupiter over Mets in extras, 8-6

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (April 16, 2014) - The Jupiter Hammerheads spoiled an exciting comeback by the St. Lucie Mets on Wednesday by defeating the Mets 8-6 in 10 innings.

The Mets rallied from a 6-5 deficit in the ninth to send the game to extras, but Viosergy Rosa belted Randy Fontanez's first pitch of the 10th over the right field wall for the go-ahead home run. The Hammerheads would an an insurance run on an RBI double by Ross Wilson later in the inning.

The Mets had a chance to win the game in the ninth. Brandon Nimmo singled home Maikis De La Cruz to tie the game 6-6 with one out. Then with runners at the corners, Hammerheads manager Brian Schneider opted to intentionally walk the red hot T.J. Rivera to load the bases.

The move paid off. Joseph O'Gara struck out Aderlin Rodriguez and Cam Maron flew out to center on a 3-1 pitch.

The game looked like it was headed for an early blowout. The Mets scored four runs in the first inning before making an out. Rodriguez laced a two-run triple and Maron singled him home to make it 4-0.

Jupiter responded in the second with a pair of runs to make it 4-2. Then trailing by one in the third, Rosa blasted a two-run homer to right off of Gabriel Ynoa to put Jupiter up 5-4. The Hammerheads added another run later in the frame.

Dilson Herrera cut the Jupiter lead to one in the fourth. He singled off of starter Jake Esch and stole second. Herrera took third on a wild pitch and came home on a bad throw from catcher Austin Barnes to the third base bag.

The middle and late innings became a battle of the bullpens. Paul Sewald, Julian Hilario and Bret Mitchell combined to no-hit the Hammerheads over 6 1/3 innings of relief.

Jupiter's Jheyson Manzueta and Reid Redman were nearly as good, limiting the Mets to two hits in 4 1/3 innings.

Nimmo went 2 for 4 and extended his hitting streak to nine games. He has six multi hit games in his last seven. He has hit safely in 12 of 13 games this season.

Herrera went 3 for 5 from the leadoff spot. He is riding an eight-game hitting streak.

The Mets (7-6) hit the road to Fort Myers to play the Miracle for a three-game set starting Thursday at 7:05 p.m. Join the Voice of the Mets Adam MacDonald for the broadcast on www.stluciemets.com.