Tortugas pull away for 17-3 win over Mets

Peña records 3rd straight 2-hit game

By St. Lucie Mets

August 6, 2026

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (August 6, 2026) – The Daytona Tortugas scored 11 unanswered runs over the final three innings on Thursday to pull away for a 17-3 win over the St. Lucie Mets at Clover Park. The Mets hit three doubles in the fifth inning, including back-to-back RBI doubles

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (August 6, 2026) – The Daytona Tortugas scored 11 unanswered runs over the final three innings on Thursday to pull away for a 17-3 win over the St. Lucie Mets at Clover Park.

The Mets hit three doubles in the fifth inning, including back-to-back RBI doubles by John Smith III and Julio Zayas to cut the Daytona lead to 6-3. But the Tortugas took advantage of six walks issued by Mets relievers Jean Brito and Luis Sotillo in the seventh inning. They scored six runs in the frame to go up 12-3 and break the game open.

The Mets relied on the DH Julio Zayas to finish the game on the mound for the final two innings. The Tortugas scored five runs off Zayas in the eighth inning to stretch the lead to 17-3, but Zayas pitched a scoreless ninth. He induced a double play in the inning.

The Mets scored first in the game on a RBI single by Reed Stallman in the second inning. Then with the bases loaded and one out, Tortugas started Mason Morris started a 1-2-3 double play off the broken bat of Kooper Schulte to escape further damage.

The Tortugas used that momentum in the top of the third. They scored five runs on five hits off Mets starter Jose Lopez to go up 5-1. Bernard Moon hit a two-run double in the inning which was his FSL-leading 28^th double.

Lopez pitched well outside of the third inning. Overall he pitched 5.1 innings and gave up six runs on seven hits. He walked one and struck out six. It was the longest outing by a Mets pitcher since the first game of the second half on June 19^th.

Elian Peña went 2 for 5 with a double. It was the third straight two-hit game for Peña.

Smith III was 2 for 4 with a double and RBI.

Morris got the win. He allowed three runs over 5.0 innings.

The Mets (14-23, 47-56) and Tortugas (24-13, 45-58) continue their series at Clover Park on Friday. First pitch is 6:10 p.m. It’s Vets at the Mets. All veterans and active duty military receive free admission courtesy of LYNQ Real Estate. Kids 14-and-under can run the bases after the game.