Mets ride big 7th inning to 4-2 win against Threshers

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (July 19, 2019) - The St. Lucie Mets came alive for four runs in the seventh inning to defeat the Clearwater Threshers 4-2 at First Data Field on Friday night.
The Threshers were enjoying a 2-0 lead at the seventh inning stretch. They had held the Mets to just two singles to that point.
The Mets, sparked by newcomers Jake Ortega and Alec Kisena, took command of the game from that point on. Ortega started the seventh inning rally by dropping down a beautiful bunt single. Manny Rodriguez was then plunked by Austin Ross and Hansel Moreno reached on an infield single to load the bases.
Blake Tiberi tied the game with a two-run single into right-center field. Moreno hustled from first base to third base on the play. He scored on a wild pitch from Ross to give the Mets a 3-2 lead. Carlos Cortes capped the inning with a RBI single that brought home Tiberi for a 4-2 advantage.
Kisena, who was called up from Brooklyn to help the Mets taxed bullpen, pitched 2.1 scoreless innings of relief to get the win in his debut. He retired seven of the eight batters he faced.
Ortega, who was also called up from Brooklyn due to the Mets placing three catchers on the Injured List within a week, caught all nine innings. He went 2 for 4 with a run and his bunt brought the offense to life. Friday was just Ortega's 11th game as a professional. He was drafted this year out of Cal State Bakersfield.
Yeizo Campos got Jhailyn Ortiz to ground into a double play to end the game. Campos earned his second save.
Mets starter Joe Cavallaro held the Threshers to two runs over 5.2 innings in his first start of the season. He replaced Tony Dibrell, who was promoted to Double-A Binghamton. Cavallaro had previously worked 24 games out of the bullpen. He scatted six hits, walked four and struck out five while throwing 96 pitches.
Clearwater starter Kyle Glogoski only gave up one single in five shutout innings. He walked four and struck out three.
The Threshers scored their two runs on back-to-back RBI singles by Matt Vierling and Madison Stokes with two outs in the third inning.
Moreno's single in the seventh extended his hitting streak to nine games.
The Mets (20-11, 52-45) and Threshers (14-16, 50-46) play the second game of their series at First Data Field on Saturday. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m.