St. Lucie Slides Past Florida Late, 6-4
Published on June 22, 2019 under Florida State League (FSL1)
Florida Fire Frogs News Release
KISSIMMEE, FLA.: The Florida Fire Frogs spoiled a fantastic outing from RHP Matt Hartman, surrendering a lead in the seventh inning and falling to the St. Lucie Mets by a score of 6-4 on Saturday evening at Osceola County Stadium.
Hartman's pitching prowess was the story early. He navigated through his first 22 batters without allowing a run into the seventh. He ended up tossing 6 and 2/3's frames of two-run baseball, yielding just two hits, four walks, and racking up three strikeouts.
The Fire Frogs grabbed a run in the third. Kevin Josephina doubled in Trey Harris to put Florida ahead, 1-0. Josephina was one of three other players who reached three times in the contest, joining Harris, Riley Delgado, and Shean Michel.
Florida loaded the bases in the fifth but could only muster one run. Derian Cruz drew a bases loaded walk in his Advanced-A debut against RHP Marcel Renteria, plating Andrew Moritz for a 2-0 Fire Frogs edge.
After a hitless night on Friday, Delgado swatted two hits and coaxed a walk to move back into the Top-2 of the FSL's league batting average leaders.
Things got away from the Frogs in the seventh. Hartman walked two before exiting in favor of RHP Lukas Young. Young struggled with his command, walking two straight hitters to force in the first run of the game. Jacob Zanon's two-run single gave St. Lucie its first lead, 3-2. Carlos Cortes added an RBI knock to bump it to 4-2.
Young (1-2) surrendered four runs on two hits and three walks while being on the losing end of the decision.
Josephina scored on a wild pitch from LHP Jake Simon to bring the Fire Frogs to within 4-3 after seven.
St. Lucie put two more tallies on the scoreboard to take a 6-3 lead. With the bases full, Mitch Ghelfi flung a sacrifice fly to the outfield off RHP Sean McLaughlin. Edgardo Fermin's RBI single plated Matt Winaker.
McLaughlin tossed two shutout innings, scattering three hits and a walk while permitting both runners that he inherited to come across.
A leadoff single in the eighth by Shean Michel started a Fire Frogs rally. He would score on Jefrey Ramos' RBI double to right-center off RHP Joe Cavallaro. Ramos, however, was thrown out trying to turn the double into the triple to end the inning.
Rehabbing New York Met LHP Luis Avilan picked up the win, turning in a scoreless sixth. Simon got two outs and received a hold. Cavallaro retired seven of the final eight batters to earn his second save.
The Mets bullpen was thrown into a tough situation when RHP Kyle Wilson was ejected in the third inning of his start. He hurled just 2 and 1/3's stanzas on the mound, giving up two hits, four walks, and an earned run. RHP Marcel Renteria was forced into the game cold but twirled 2 and 2/3's innings to keep the game close.
NEXT UP: Florida will send RHP Nolan Kingham (4-5, 4.43) to the hill in the series finale opposite RHP Dedniel Nunez (0-2, 4.30) seeking a series split. First pitch is at 12 p.m.
Florida State League Stories from June 22, 2019
- St. Lucie Slides Past Florida Late, 6-4 - Florida Fire Frogs
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- Threshers' Trio No-Hits Tortugas, 5-0 - Daytona Tortugas
- Mets Rally Late for 6-4 Win over Fire Frogs - St. Lucie Mets
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- Dunedin and Palm Beach Play Game Three in Clearwater this Evening - Dunedin Blue Jays
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