Mets Survive Daytona 9th Inning Rally, Win 6-5
June 13, 2025 - Florida State League (FSL)
St. Lucie Mets News Release
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The St. Lucie Mets fended off a late game rally by the Daytona Tortugas and held on to win 6-5 on Friday night at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. The Mets win, combined with the Palm Beach Cardinals' loss to Lakeland, pushed the Mets' FSL East division lead by to 4.0 games with six games remaining in the first half.
On Friday, the Mets jumped out to a 6-0 lead through six innings. The Tortugas got a two-out, three-run double from Esmith Pineda off Hoss Brewer in the seventh inning to make it 6-3. Ryan McCrystal followed with a pinch hit RBI single to cut the Mets lead to 6-4.
In the bottom of the ninth Hunter Hodges retired the first two Tortugas batters on just three pitches. It got tricky after that. Hodges walked Pineda and McCrystal singled. Luis Leones hit a ground ball to first baseman Vincent Perozo but Hodges dropped Perozo's toss while covering the base and the game continued on the error. Hodges then walked Jacob Friend with the bases loaded to make it 6-5 and put the tying run on third and the winning run on second. Hodges recovered to strike out Kyle Henley to end the game.
The Mets managed to score six runs despite going 0 for 15 with runners in scoring position. Trey Snyder scored in the first inning from third base on a two-out wild pitch. Kevin Villavicencio and Willy Fanas drew back-to-back walks with the bases loaded in the third inning to increase the Mets lead to 3-0.
Snyder scored from third base on another wild pitch in the fourth inning for a 4-0 lead.
Trace Willhoite came home to score on a RBI ground out by Fanas in the fifth. Colin Houck hit a solo home run in sixth inning to make it 6-0. It was Houck's seventh homer of the year.
Houck went 3 for 5 and finished a triple shy of the cycle.
Catcher Daiverson Gutierrez went 2 for 3 with two walks. He has reached base in 12 of 15 plate appearances in the series.
Snyder led off the game with a double. He has led off each game of the series with an extra base hit (home run on Tuesday, triple on Wednesday, double on Thursday).
Mets starter Channing Austin pitched 4.0 innings of scoreless ball. He allowed two singles, walked four and struck out four.
Josh Blum pitched two innings behind Austin to get the win. He gave up two hits, did not walk a batter and struck out three.
The Mets (33-27) and Tortugas (26-35) play the fifth game of their series at Jackie Robinson Ballpark on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.
Florida State League Stories from June 13, 2025
- Maroudis, Batista Shut Out Mussels to Cap Doubleheader Sweep - Dunedin Blue Jays
- Mets Survive Daytona 9th Inning Rally, Win 6-5 - St. Lucie Mets
- Cardinals Extra-Inning Magic Ends with 10-7 Loss against Flying Tigers Friday Night - Palm Beach Cardinals
- Furious Rumberos Rally Falls Just Short in 6-5 Defeat - Daytona Tortugas
- Tarpons Stay in Playoff Hunt, Split Doubleheader - Tampa Tarpons
- Marauders Bats Cooled in 8-3 Loss to Jupiter - Bradenton Marauders
- Mussels Swept in Doubleheader by Blue Jays - Fort Myers Mighty Mussels
- Threshers Split Doubleheader After Late Tie in Game Two - Clearwater Threshers
- Tampa Postpones Game against Clearwater - Tampa Tarpons
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