Mets Falter in 9th, Suffer Sweep vs. Threshers
Published on June 30, 2019 under Florida State League (FSL1)
St. Lucie Mets News Release
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - The St. Lucie Mets squandered another ninth-inning lead as the Clearwater Threshers escaped with a series sweep by winning Sunday's finale 5-3 at First Data Field.
The Mets took a 3-2 lead into the ninth but that quickly changed when Jhailyn Ortiz hit the first pitch of the inning from Ezequiel Zabaleta for a tying home run. Nick Maton followed with a double and two batters later Matt Kroon crushed a two-run homer off of Zabaleta for a 5-3 lead.
Zach Warren closed out the game in the bottom of the ninth for his second save of the series.
The Mets also led by one run with two outs in the ninth on Friday but couldn't hold on and lost 3-1 in extras. The Mets were 32-0 when leading after eight innings prior to the series against Clearwater.
On Sunday the Mets led 2-0 entering the seventh inning. Blake Tiberi led off the first inning with a home run and Jeremy Vasquez extended his hitting streak to 13 games in a row with a RBI single in the sixth.
However, the Threshers were able to tie it in the seventh. Tony Dibrell retired the first batter of the inning with a strikeout but the next three were able to reach. Kroon hit a sac fly to make it 2-1, then Jack Conley hit a two-out RBI single to tie the game 2-2.
The Mets broke the tie in the home seventh. Carlos Cortes, on his 22nd birthday, hit a two-out RBI double to plate Alfredo Escalera for a 3-2 lead.
Zabaleta breezed through the eighth but faltered in the ninth. The three runs against him were the first runs he allowed in nine games.
Dibrell was cruising until the bumpy seventh. He only needed 60 pitches to shut out the Threshers through the first six innings. He ended up getting a no-decision after allowing two runs on three hits in 6.1 innings.
The Mets, who finished last week with the FSL's best second half record, ended up going 2-4 on their six-game home stand against the two teams with the league's best overall records.
The Mets (8-5, 40-39) begin a three-game series at the Charlotte Stone Crabs on Monday. First pitch from Charlotte Sports Park is 6:30 p.m.
Florida State League Stories from June 30, 2019
- Dunedin Wins a Rollercoaster Ride of a Ballgame in Daytona - Dunedin Blue Jays
- Clementina's Clouts Not Enough in 11-9 Loss - Daytona Tortugas
- Dunedin Goes for the Sweep in Daytona - Dunedin Blue Jays
- Tarpons Rally Late in Rubber Game Win, 2-1 - Tampa Tarpons
- Cabbage's Homer, Two RBI not Enough in 7-4 Loss - Fort Myers Mighty Mussels
- Tampa Takes Away Florida's Triumph, 2-1 - Florida Fire Frogs
- Sunday's Series Finale vs. Charlotte Suspended Due to Inclement Weather - Palm Beach Cardinals
- Late Offensive Explosion Leads Threshers to Sweep over Mets - Clearwater Threshers
- Mets Falter in 9th, Suffer Sweep vs. Threshers - St. Lucie Mets
- Stone Crabs and Cardinals Suspended After Three Innings - Charlotte Stone Crabs
- Tortugas Battle Tarpons for Independence Day Celebration - Daytona Tortugas
- Blue Jays Scatch One Away from Daytona - Dunedin Blue Jays
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