Elissalt dominates in relief, Mets win opener vs. Daytona 4-2

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (July 1, 2025) – The St. Lucie Mets snapped a two-game losing streak with a 4-2 win over the Daytona Tortugas on Tuesday night at Clover Park.

Mets long reliever Frank Elissalt dominated upon entering the game in the fourth inning. Elissalt fired 5.0 scoreless innings. He allowed just one hit on a two-out double in the sixth inning. Elissalt did not walk a batter and struck out seven, including the first five batters he faced.

The Mets took a 2-0 lead in the second inning on a RBI squeeze bunt single by Nick Roselli and a RBI infield single by Simon Juan.

Daytona scored two runs against Mets reliever Josh Blum in the third inning. Sammy Stafura laced a RBI single and Alfredo Duno scored on a ground out by Myles Smith to make it 2-2.

Trey Snyder hit a leadoff home run against Edgar Colon in the third inning to put the Mets up 3-2. Trace Willhoite hit his 10^th home run of the season in the sixth inning to boost the lead to 4-2.

Juan Arnaud pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning with two strikeouts to earn his second save. Arnaud threw just seven pitches, all for strikes.

Mets starter Ernesto Mercedes pitched out of a major jam in the first inning. Mercedes walked two batters and plunked another but got Iverson Espinoza to fly out to end the threat. Mercedes pitched 2.0 scoreless and hitless innings.

Eight of the nine batters in the Mets lineup recorded a hit. The Tortugas only had three hits. No player in the game recorded a multi-hit game.

The Mets won their fourth straight home game and improved to 13-6 against the Tortugas this season.

The Mets (7-3, 41-34) and Tortugas (6-4, 36-41) play the second game of their series on Wednesday. First pitch at Clover Park is set for 6:10 p.m.