Mets fall to Stone Crabs 3-1 in rain-shortened game

PORT ST. LUCIE Fla. (May 9, 2019) - The Charlotte Stone Crabs defeated the St. Lucie Mets 3-1 in rain-shortened game on Thursday at First Data Field.
Stone Crabs center fielder Thomas Milone hit a two-out, two-run homer off of Mets reliever Carlos Hernandez in the sixth inning to put Charlotte ahead 2-1.
The Stone Crabs scored their final run in the seventh inning on a sac fly.
Mets starting pitcher Kevin Smith was in line for his fourth straight winning after departing with a 1-0 lead and two outs in the sixth. Smith struck out a career-high nine batters in 5.2 innings. He walked two and scattered four singles.
Smith lowered his ERA to 2.83. He has given up just four runs in his last four starts which span 22 innings.
Blake Tiberi and Jeremy Vasquez both went 2 for 4. Tiberi drove in the Mets' only run in the fifth inning with an infield single.
Mets reliever Conner O'Neil struck out the side in the eighth inning. He was pitching with one out in the ninth when a storm hit First Data Field and ended the game early.
José De León made a Major League rehab start for the Stone Crabs. He blanked the Mets over three innings.
Crabs reliever Stephen Woods Jr. held the Mets to one run over the next four innings to get the win.
The Mets (18-14) and Stone Crabs (16-18) play the second game of their series at First Data Field on Friday. First pitch is 6:30 p.m.