Mets rally past Tortugas with 5-4 walk-off win in extras

Houck delivers game-winning sac fly in 10th

April 5, 2024

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (April 5, 2024) – The St. Lucie Mets rallied back from an early deficit to earn a walk-off 5-4 win in 10 innings over the Daytona Tortugas on Opening Night at Clover on Friday. Colin Houck, the Mets’ first round draft pick in 2023, hit a

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (April 5, 2024) – The St. Lucie Mets rallied back from an early deficit to earn a walk-off 5-4 win in 10 innings over the Daytona Tortugas on Opening Night at Clover on Friday.

Colin Houck, the Mets’ first round draft pick in 2023, hit a sac fly with the bases loaded in the 10^th inning to bring home Yohairo Cuevas for the winning run. The inning was set up by back-to-back walks drawn by Marco Vargas and J.D. Martinez.

The Mets found themselves with a chance to win in the home 10^th after a great top half of the inning was pitched by Jawilme Ramirez. Ramirez struck out two batters and got a ground out to keep the free runner from scoring and the game remained tied 4-4.

The Tortugas led nearly the entire game. Catcher Connor Burns belted a three-run homer off Mets starter Jack Wenninger in the second inning for a 3-0 lead.

The Mets got within a run a couple times but didn’t tie the game until Nick Morabito slugged a home run in the bottom of the ninth with one out to make it 4-4.

Ramirez ended up pitching 3.0 scoreless innings to get the win. He gave up just one hit and struck out six.

Martinez, who signed with the Mets on March 24^th, played the entire game as the DH. He went 0 for 4 along with his walk in the 10^th.

Morabito and Ronald Hernandez had two hits apiece in the victory.

Wenninger pitched 3.2 and scattered three hits. All three runs he allowed came on the Burns homer. Wenninger walked two and struck out three.

Daytona starter Brian Edgington retired the first nine Mets he faced. He ended up allowing one run over 4.0 innings.

The Mets improved to 22-14 all time on Opening Day. They avenged their loss on Opening Day from 2023 when the Tortugas won 7-6 in 11 innings at Clover Park.

The Mets (1-0) and Tortugas (0-1) play game 2 of their three-game series at Clover Park on Saturday. First pitch is 6:10 p.m. As part of Donate Life Night the Mets will wear special jerseys that will be auctioned off to raise funds for organ donation. Fans can bid on the autographed game-worn jerseys at stluciemets.com/auction. There will be postgame fireworks.