Mets Outlast Threshers 3-2 in 13 Innings
Published on June 15, 2015 under Florida State League (FSL1)
St. Lucie Mets News Release
CLEARWATER, Fla. (June 15, 2015) - The St. Lucie Mets outlasted the Clearwater Threshers 3-2 in 13 innings on Monday night at Bright House Field.
It was the second longest game of the season for the Mets. Amed Rosario broke the 2-2 tie in the top of the 13th with a one-out single off of Cody Forsythe that scored Stefan Sabol. Sabol started the rally with a double off the top of the wall.
Kyle Regnault worked a perfect bottom of the 13th to clinch the victory.
Mike Hepple kept the game alive for the Mets by pitching a scoreless 11th and 12th. He earned the win while Regnault got his first save.
The Mets led 2-0 after seven innings, but the Threshers were able to score a run in the eighth and tie the game 2-2 in the ninth. That spoiled a tremendous pitching performance for Michael Gibbons, who was making his professional debut in a spot start.
Gibbons shut out the Threshers over the first seven innings. He gave up just two singles and he hit one batter. At one point between the third and seventh innings he retired 11 in a row. Gibbons only need 71 pitches to get through seven innings and he struck out four.
Gibbons was added to the roster from extended spring training on Monday afternoon. He took the spot vacated by closer Akeel Morris, who was promoted directly to the New York Mets earlier in the day.
The right-handed Gibbons was signed by the Mets as a non-drafted free agent on August 22, 2014. He played collegiately at Wheaton College. He is only the third player in Wheaton history to sign with a MLB team. The other two are Chris Denorfia and Jamie Baker.
The Mets broke a scoreless tie in the fifth. Rosario was walked by Colin Kleven to start the inning and he later scored on a double by Champ Stuart.
Kleven walked Brandon Nimmo to begin the sixth and Nimmo went to third on a single by Miakis De La Cruz. Dominic Smith then hit into a double play, but Nimmo was able to score to make it 2-0.
Gibbons plunked Andrew Knapp with one out in the seventh. He recovered to strike out Dylan Cozens and Aaron Brown flew out to Sabol at the warning track in left to end the inning.
The Threshers got on the board in the eighth against reliever Kelly Secrest. Willians Astudillo singled and Chace Numata doubled to put runners at second and third with no outs. Secrest struck out Mitch Walding looking for the first out. Mora drove in Astudillo with a sac fly to make it 2-1. Secrest was able to get Drew Stankiewicz to pop out with the tying run in scoring position to keep the Met up by a run.
Josh Smoker could not close out the game in the ninth. Andrew Pullin singled to start the frame and pinch runner Chase Harris scored on a double by Knapp to tie the game 2-2. Smoker settled down to retire three of the next four to keep Knapp on second and send the game to extras.
Rosario, De La Cruz and Yeixon Ruiz had two hits apiece for the Mets.
Monday's victory was the third in a row for the Mets and they improved to 33-31. The Mets and Threshers (32-32) continue their series on Tuesday at 7 p.m. The game can be heard on www.threshersbaseball.com.
Florida State League Stories from June 15, 2015
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