Palm Beach Outlasts St. Lucie, 7-4, on Saturday Night
Published on July 18, 2026 under Florida State League (FSL)
Palm Beach Cardinals News Release
JUPITER, FL - The Palm Beach Cardinals (13-9, 46-42), under their alternate identity "Palm Beach Frozen Iguanas," defeated the St. Lucie Mets (7-14, 40-47) by a final score of 7-4 on Saturday night at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Palm Beach is now 3-6 in their alternate identity uniforms this season.
Palm Beach took an early lead in the bottom of the first inning. Sebastian Dos Santos drew a leadoff walk and Ryan Weingartner hit a single to put two runners on base. With one out, Brayden Smith hit a single to center field and the ball went under the glove of Mets' center fielder D'Andre Smith and rolled to the wall which cleared the bases and the Frozen Iguanas took a 3-2 lead.
The Mets responded in the top of the second inning against the Cardinals' starting pitcher Brandon Clarke in his Palm Beach debut. Chase Meggers plated a run on an RBI single and Jeremy Rodriguez sent another home on a fielder's choice to cut Palm Beach's lead to 3-2. Clarke finished his start with 1 1/3 innings pitched and two runs allowed in a no-decision. Antoni Cuello got the final two outs in the top of the second inning.
In the bottom of the third inning with two outs, Smith hit a solo home run to right field, his eighth home run of the year, to get a run back and give Palm Beach a 4-2 lead after three innings. The Frozen Iguanas stayed hot on offense in the bottom of the fourth inning. With one out, Chase Heath hit an RBI fielder's choice to score Yordalin Peña from third base. After an Alex Birge single with two outs, Dos Santos launched a two-run home run to right field, his second home run in as many days and third of the season, to give Palm Beach a 7-2 lead after four innings.
Meanwhile, Andrew Dutkanych IV (W, 2-0) came out of the Palm Beach bullpen and began his long relief outing with three scoreless innings. However, in the top of the sixth inning, Antonio Jimenez hit a solo home run down the left field line to cut the Palm Beach lead to 7-3.
Dutkanych IV finished his five-inning outing with just one run allowed and three strikeouts. Nathan Shinn entered in the eighth and tossed two innings with one run allowed. The Mets added a run in the top of the ninth inning on an RBI groundout by Jeremy Rodriguez, but Palm Beach held on for the 7-4 win on Saturday night.
Smith led the offense with his 3-for-4 with a home run and two runs scored. Dos Santos also scored two runs.
The Cardinals and Mets meet for the final time in the regular season on Sunday, July 19 with first pitch scheduled for 12:30 p.m.
Florida State League Stories from July 18, 2026
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- Sanchez Goes Deep in 6-4 Loss - Dunedin Blue Jays
- Villavicencio's Homer, Obermueller's Five Ks Lead Threshers to Victory - Clearwater Threshers
- Tarpons Keep Rolling Behind Mayea's Three-Run Blast - Tampa Tarpons
- Sterling Fans Nine in Marauders' Second-Straight Loss - Bradenton Marauders
- Cardinals Hommer Twice in 7-4 Victory over Mets - St. Lucie Mets
- Jake Rucker's Four-Hit Day Not Enough in Loss to Lakeland - Fort Myers Mighty Mussels
- Palm Beach Outlasts St. Lucie, 7-4, on Saturday Night - Palm Beach Cardinals
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