Mets win wild affair over Cardinals, 9-8

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (July 28, 2022) – The St. Lucie Mets won a wild contest 9-8 over the Palm Beach Cardinals on Thursday at Clover Park.

Both teams overcame deficits twice. The final comeback was by the Mets, who trailed 8-5 with two outs in the sixth inning but scored three times with two outs in the frame to tie the game 8-8. William Lugo hit a RBI ground out with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh to plate Ronis Aybar for the winning run.

The game featured three consecutive home runs for the Mets for the second time in team history. With one out in the third inning Fernando Villalobos, Tanner Murphy and Lugo went back-to-back-to-back over the left field wall against Cardinals starter Carlos Guarate. The homers for Villalobos and Murphy came on consecutive pitches.

The Mets last accomplished the feat on August 11, 2011 vs. Jupiter. Wilmer Flores hit the middle home run.

The three straight home runs provided the Mets a 3-1 lead. Palm Beach’s Adanson Cruz answered with a two-run homer of his own against Mets starter Joel Diaz to tie the game 3-3 in the fourth inning.

Murphy hit a RBI single in the bottom of the fourth to put the Mets back in front. Junior Tilien drew a bases loaded walk later in the inning to make it 5-3.

The Cardinals tied the game 5-5 in the fifth. Thomas Francisco hit a RBI single and Sander Mora hit a sac fly.

Palm Beach scored three times against reliever Benito Garcia in the sixth inning. Patrick Romeri ripped a two-run double to make it 7-5 and Francisco brought in the last run when he hit into a double play.

Cardinals reliever Jose Moreno got a double play ball in the bottom of the sixth and appeared like he would get through the inning with the 8-5 lead. However, Lugo sparked a rally with a sharp single. Tilien followed with a RBI double to make it 8-6. Raul Beracierta bashed a run-scoring single to bring home Tilien. Carlos Dominguez belted a double to score Beracierta to tie the game 8-8.

Cardinals lefty reliever Nelfi Contreras hit two batters and gave up a single to Villalobos in the seventh to set up Lugo for a the run-scoring ground out to give the Mets the final run.

Michael Krauza (1-0) got a strikeout and double play in the seventh inning to earn the win.

Joshua Cornielly pitched a scoreless eighth and ninth for his second save. Villalobos threw out pinch runner Darlin Moquete trying to steal second base to end the game.

The Mets pounded out 14 hits. Murphy, Lugo, Dominguez and Villalobos had two hits apiece. Beracierta went 3 for 5.

Jeremy Rivas went 4 for 5 for the Cardinals.

The Mets (54-38, 14-13) and Cardinals (45-46, 15-12) play the fourth game of their series on Friday. First pitch at Clover Park is 6:10 p.m.