Mets win nail-biter in Daytona, 3-2

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 9, 2023) – The St. Lucie Mets snapped an eight-game road losing streak with a thrilling 3-2 victory over the Daytona Tortugas on Tuesday night at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

Holding the 3-2 lead entering the bottom of the ninth, Mets reliever Christopher Vasquez was tagged for a leadoff double by No. 9 hitter Victor Acosta. Vasquez rebounded to retire all three batters at the top of the lineup to clinch the victory.

Vasquez pitched 3.2 innings of scoreless relief behind Mets start Jawilme Ramirez. Vasquez wiggled out of a bases loaded jam in the sixth, stranded two runners in the seventh and one more in the eighth before dramatically slamming the door shut in the ninth. He earned his first save.

The Mets took a 2-1 lead in the top of the second inning when Yeral Martinez crushed a 3-0 pitch from Daytona starter Mason Pelio for a two-run homer. The long ball extended Martinez’s hitting streak to seven games.

Jacob Reimer hit a sky high solo home run to left field to lead off the sixth that gave the Mets a 3-1 cushion.

The Tortugas got the run right back in the bottom of the sixth when Carlos Jorge socked a leadoff home run off Ramirez that cut the Mets lead to 3-2.

The solo homer was the only earned run allowed by Ramirez on the night. He got the win, pitching 5.1 innings and limiting the Tortugas to six hits. He walked two and struck out three.

The teams combined to go 1 for 22 with runners in scoring position. The only hit was Martinez’s two-run blast.

Martinez went 2 for 4. He hit a ground rule double in the eighth that would have plated an insurance run if the ballpark held it.

The Mets (8-20) and Tortugas (9-19) play the second game of their series at Jackie Robinson Ballpark on Wednesday. First pitch is 6:35 p.m.