Lee Pitches Cardinals Past Mets, 4-3
Published on June 8, 2014 under Florida State League (FSL1)
St. Lucie Mets News Release
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (June 8, 2014) - A ninth inning comeback fell short and the St. Lucie Mets lost 4-3 to the Palm Beach Cardinals on Sunday afternoon at Tradition Field.
Aderlin Rodriguez launched a one-out, two-run homer in the ninth inning off of Cardinals starter Thomas Lee to cut the Mets deficit to 4-3, but the Mets could not score again.
Chris Thomas came in for Lee and got Gilbert Gomez to ground out and Albert Cordero to strike out to end the ballgame.
For 8 1/3 innings, Lee was a force on the mound. He only need 81 pitches to get through the first eight innings. He induced three double play balls, and of the four hits he gave up over the first eight, three were infield singles.
Before Rodriguez's two-run bomb, the only run the Mets scored came unearned in the second on a ground out by Gomez.
Mets starter Michael Fulmer was in trouble for most of his five innings. He gave up an RBI ground out with the bases loaded in the second to make it 1-0 Cardinals. In the third, Fulmer loaded the bases with no outs but just gave up an RBI sac fly to Bruce Caldwell.
It appeared Fulmer had settled down, but with two outs in the fifth Caldwell launched a two-run homer to make it 4-1 Cardinals. That shot proved to be the difference.
Fulmer took the loss. He gave up eight hits and four earned runs in five innings while striking out three.
Seth Lugo pitched four innings of scoreless relief and struck out four to keep the Mets in the game.
Caldwell knocked in three of the four runs for Palm Beach.
The Mets (35-28) have lost three of four in a crucial stretch of the season. Only seven games remain in the first half and they trailed Fort Myers by two full games in the Florida State League South Division after the loss. Fort Myers and Jupiter finished their game later on Sunday evening.
The Mets and Cardinals, who have won six games in a row and 14 out of 19, will meet again at Tradition Field on Monday at 6:30 p.m.
Florida State League Stories from June 8, 2014
- 'Tees Topple Tampa, 5-2 - Brevard County Manatees
- Marauders Slip by Stone Crabs 5-4 - Charlotte Stone Crabs
- Williams Deals as Hammerheads Hold On - Jupiter Hammerheads
- Hammerheads Edge Miracle, 3-2, in Pitcher's Duel - Fort Myers Mighty Mussels
- Lee Pitches Cardinals Past Mets, 4-3 - St. Lucie Mets
- Flying Tigers Return Home Tuesday for Series against Manatees - Lakeland Flying Tigers
- Hellickson and Hanigan Lead 'Crabs to 4-1 Win - Charlotte Stone Crabs
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