Mets draw team-record 18 walks in 15-3 blasting of Tortugas

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (May 30, 2021) – The St. Lucie Mets drew a team-record 18 walks at the plate as they demolished the Daytona Tortugas 15-3 on Sunday afternoon at Clover Park.

Eight of the 10 players the Mets sent to bat in the game reached on a walk. Leading the way were Jaylen Palmer and Ranfy Adon who each walked four times. Nic Gaddis walked three times and Jimmy Titus and Brandon McIlwain both walked twice.

The 18th and final walk issued by Daytona came before the Tortugas recorded an out in the seventh inning.

The Tortugas used seven pitchers in the game. Relievers Frainger Aranguren and Juan Abril both walked five apiece.

The Mets trailed 2-0 in the first inning but back-to-back walks from starter Tanner Cooper to Cole Kleszcz and Titus with the bases loaded tied the game. Gaddis then lofted a sac fly for the go-ahead run in the game.

McIlwain followed with a three-run homer to put the Mets up 6-2.

The Mets scored six runs in the sixth before making an out. The first five batters – Titus, Gaddis, McIlwain, Adon and Brandon Fryman – all walked. Adon’s free passed force in a run. McIlwain scored on a wild pitch. The sixth batter of the inning, Shervyen Newton, launched a three-run homer to make it 15-2.

The Mets used six pitchers in the game. Starter Junior Santos overcame a rocky first inning and completed three innings. He limited the damage to two runs on four hits with four strikeouts.

Luis Montas pitched two excellent innings in his season debut to get the win. He gave up just one single and struck out two. Jeffrey Colon, Sammy Tavarez and Matt Cleveland chipped in with scoreless innings.

The Mets (16-8) won the final two games of the series to split the series with Daytona 3-3. The Mets are off on Monday. They return to action on Tuesday in Fort Myers against the Mighty Mussels. First pitch is 7 p.m.