Hammerheads pitch another shutout in 6-0 win vs. Mets

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (August 16, 2025) – The Jupiter Hammerheads pitched a second consecutive shutout with a 6-0 win against the St. Lucie Mets at Clover Park on Saturday night.

Once again the Hammerheads used three pitchers to blank the Mets over nine innings. Lefty starter Nate Payne pitched 3.0 perfect innings for a second straight start. He struck out three.

Reliever Grant Shepardson followed Payne for the next 3.2 innings and scattered three hits. Shepardson did not walk a batter and struck out three. He got the win.

Jake Faherty pitched the final 2.1 innings. He struck out Daiverson Gutierrez to end the game with a runner on third base on a 99 mph fastball.

The Mets offense, which has scored more runs than any other MiLB team since July 23^rd, has now been shut out in 19 consecutive innings.

The Hammerheads scored two runs in the third inning off Mets starter Jose Chirinos. Chirinos plunked Andres Valor with the bases loaded to force in the game’s first run. Christian Rodriguez replaced Chirinos and PJ Morlando grounded out to bring home another run for a 2-0 lead.

Victor Ortega hit a RBI single in the fourth to make it 4-0.

The Hammerheads broke the game open with three runs in the seventh inning off Yuhi Sako. Dillon Head hit a RBI single. Later with two outs Morlando legged out a two-run infield single for a 6-0 Jupiter advantage.

Chirinos took the loss. He was charged with two runs on two hits over 2.1 innings. Chirinos walked three and did not record a strikeout.

The Mets mustered just four hits. Gutierrez was 2 for 4 with a double and a single.

Simon Juan and Yonatan Henriquez each singled.

The Mets (67-45, 33-14) and Hammerheads (50-63, 20-27) conclude their six-game series at Clover Park on Sunday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 12:10 p.m. All little leaguers who wear their jerseys receive free admission courtesy of Holiday Inn Express.