Threshers Hold off Mets 7-5
May 9, 2025 - Florida State League (FSL)
St. Lucie Mets News Release
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - The Clearwater Thresher hung on to beat the St. Lucie Mets 7-5 on Friday night at Clover Park to even the series between the teams 2-2. The Mets lost back-to-back games for the first time since April 17-18.
The Threshers built a 6-1 lead through six innings and survived the Mets comeback attempt. The Mets scored three runs in the seventh inning on a homer by Trace Willhoite, RBI double by Colin Houck and a sac fly by Daiverson Gutierrez to make it 6-4. But with the tying run on first base, Threshers reliever Saul Teran retired both batters after Gutierrez to end the rally.
Both teams scored a run in the eighth inning. Nick Roselli led off the bottom of the ninth with a double and later in the inning Kevin Villavicencio worked walk as the tying run with two outs. Vincent Perozo, already 3 for 4 and home run shy of the cycle, came to the plate as the winning run. Threshers reliever Titan Hayes retired Perozo on a fly out to end the game and clinch his fifth save.
Mets starter Nate Dohm took the loss. He allowed four runs on nine hits over 4.0 innings. After striking out the first two batters of the game, Dohm could not escape the first inning unscathed as three batters in a row recorded hits. Brady Day hit a two-run single to make it 2-0.
Perozo ripped a RBI triple off Threshers starter Sam Highfill in the second inning to make it 2-1.
Aroon Escobar hit a solo homer against Dohm in the third inning for a 3-1 Clearwater lead. Griffin Burkholder added a sac fly in the inning to make it 4-1.
Escobar bashed a two-run homer off Mets reliever Irving Cota in the sixth inning to extend the Threshers lead to 6-1. Cota recovered to retire the next five batters in a row to end his outing. Cota entered the game having given up just one earned run on the season.
Perozo (3 for 5, 3B, 2B, 1B, RBI), Willhoite (2 for 3, HR, BB, 2 RBI) and Simon Juan (2 for 4) had multi-hit games. Willhoite homered for the second straight day. He leads the team with five home runs.
The Mets pounded out 10 hits for the second straight game but struggled again with runners in scoring position, going just 2 for 12. They are 7 for 47 (.149) with runners in scoring position in the series.
Highfill got the win for the Threshers after holding the Mets to one run on five hits in 5.0 innings.
The Mets (17-14) and Threshers (17-14) play the fifth game of their series at Clover Park on Saturday. It's Star Wars Night with the Mets wearing Darth Vader jerseys, appearances by Star Wars characters and other Star Wars related entertainment. Fans can bid on the jerseys at stluciemets.com/auction. All proceeds go towards Night to Shine. The postgame fireworks show has been canceled due to ongoing drought conditions. First pitch is 6:10 p.m.
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