Cardinals Comeback Falls Short in 7-4 Loss to Hammerheads on Sunday

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FSL Palm Beach Cardinals

Cardinals Comeback Falls Short in 7-4 Loss to Hammerheads on Sunday

May 11, 2025 - Florida State League (FSL)
Palm Beach Cardinals News Release


JUPITER, FL - A late rally for the Palm Beach Cardinals (18-15) fell short in a 7-4 loss to the Jupiter Hammerheads (15-18) in Sunday's series finale at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Christian Martin led the Beach Birds at the plate as he went 3-for-3 with a double, a walk, two runs scored, and two stolen bases. Palm Beach still took the series victory over Jupiter for the second time this season.

It was a rematch of Tuesday's starting pitchers with Drew Rom (L, 0-1) for Palm Beach and Eury Perez for Jupiter as they both were making rehab appearances for their respective organizations.

After a scoreless first inning, the Hammerheads got on the scoreboard in the top of the second. After Andres Valor hit a triple with one out, Yeral Martinez hit an infield single over to Anyelo Encarnacion and a throwing error allowed Valor to score to give Jupiter the early 1-0 lead.

Rom finished his third rehab start with four innings pitched and allowed one earned run on four hits and no walks while he tallied five strikeouts. Meanwhile, Perez finished with three scoreless innings and three hits and five strikeouts in his strongest relief appearance for Jupiter.

In the top of the fifth inning, Braden Davis came out of the Palm Beach bullpen for his second relief appearance of the series. Yeral Martinez led off with a double and Carlos Sanchez drove in Martinez on an RBI double to expand the Jupiter lead to 2-0.

Palm Beach got on the scoreboard for the first time in the bottom of the fifth inning off of Jupiter relief pitcher Luke Lashutka (W, 6-2). With one out, Encarnacion launched his second home run of the season, a solo home run to left field off of the Marlins clubhouse, and the Cardinals cut the deficit to 2-1 after five innings.

Jupiter tacked on three runs with one swing of the bat in the top of the seventh inning. Davis nearly escaped a bases loaded jam but with two outs in the inning, Carter Johnson roped a bases-clearing double to extend the Hammerheads lead to 5-1 heading into the seventh inning stretch.

The Cardinals mounted a response in the bottom of the seventh inning. After Martin and Deniel Ortiz reached on singles and a double steal advanced them into scoring position, Travis Honeyman brought both runners home on a two-RBI single into shallow right field as Palm Beach trimmed the deficit to 5-3.

Relief pitchers kept zeroes on the board in the eighth inning, with Samuel Carpio getting the job done for Jupiter and Palm Beach leaning on Conor Steinbaugh who struck out two batters over 1 1/3 scoreless innings.

The Hammerheads got crucial insurance in the top of the ninth inning. Jupiter loaded the bases against Cardinals relief pitcher Christian Worley on catcher's interference by Josh Kross and a pair of walks. An RBI single by Abrahan Ramirez and RBI fielder's choice from Valor extended Jupiter's lead to 7-3 heading into the bottom of the ninth inning.

The Cardinals mounted a rally in the bottom of the ninth inning. Martin started the inning with a double against Hammerheads relief pitcher Franklin Sanchez, and two hit batters loaded the bases for Jonathan Mejia. Mejia worked an RBI walk to cut the Jupiter lead to 7-4 while putting the tying run on base for Kross, the FSL's RBI leader. Kross hit a hard ground ball to Jupiter first baseman Martinez who knocked it down and Palm Beach fell by the 7-4 final score on Sunday.

The Palm Beach Cardinals hit the road for a six-game series against the Tampa Tarpons beginning on Tuesday, May 13th. Palm Beach returns to Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium to welcome the Daytona Tortugas for six games beginning on Tuesday, May 20th.

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Florida State League Stories from May 11, 2025


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