Tarpons Surge to Fourth Straight Victory
Published on April 30, 2026 under Florida State League (FSL)
Tampa Tarpons News Release
TAMPA, Fla. - The Tampa Tarpons (11-13) continued their strong stretch of play Thursday night, knocking off the St. Lucie Mets (10-14) at George M. Steinbrenner Field, 8-5. The victory marks Tampa's fourth consecutive win and sixth in their last seven games.
After falling behind early, the Tarpons wasted no time flipping the script. St. Lucie struck first in the opening frame on a solo home run from Randy Guzman, but Tampa answered emphatically in the bottom half. Luis Durango sparked the rally after being hit by a pitch and swiping second, setting the stage for an RBI double from Jackson Lovich to even the score. Brando Mayea delivered a towering blast over the left-center wall to give the Tarpons a 3-1 lead.
Tampa kept the pressure on in the second inning. JoJo Jackson and Ediel Rivera opened the frame with back-to-back singles, and a pair of wild pitches helped push across a run. Enmanuel Tejeda followed with a two-run single to center, extending the Tarpons' advantage to 6-1.
Justin West, who started on the mound for Tampa, worked through four-plus innings while navigating some traffic on the bases. The Mets chipped away with single runs in the third and fourth innings, but Tampa's defense came up with a key double play to limit further damage.
The Tarpons added some valuable insurance in the bottom of the fourth. Durango again ignited the offense with a double, later scoring on a passed ball before a productive double play off the bat of Mayea brought home their final run.
St. Lucie continued to battle, scoring once in the fifth and adding a solo homer from AJ Salgado in the eighth, but Tampa's bullpen held firm down the stretch. Greysen Carter was dominant in relief, earning his first win of the season with three shutout innings while touching 101 mph. Jordarlin Mendoza shut the door with two solid frames.
The Tarpons resume action tomorrow at 6:30 PM, looking to extend their winning streak to five.
Florida State League Stories from April 30, 2026
- Tarpons Jump on Mets Early, Win 3rd Straight Game in Series - St. Lucie Mets
- Threshers Thrash Cardinals in 15-Run Rout - Clearwater Threshers
- Palm Beach Falls 16-1 to Clearwater Thursday Night - Palm Beach Cardinals
- Tarpons Surge to Fourth Straight Victory - Tampa Tarpons
- Gameday Preview: Clearwater Threshers vs. Palm Beach Cardinals - Palm Beach Cardinals
- Ramon Homers, Lead Slips Away Late in 7-5 Loss - Dunedin Blue Jays
- Jones Reaches 101 MPH, Tosses 3.0 Perfect Frames in Marauders 5-1 Win - Bradenton Marauders
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