Warwick's Career Day, 8-Run Third Inning Lifts Flying Tigers to 11-4 Win
FSL Lakeland Flying Tigers

Warwick's Career Day, 8-Run Third Inning Lifts Flying Tigers to 11-4 Win

Published on May 9, 2026 under Florida State League (FSL)
Lakeland Flying Tigers News Release


An eight-run third inning, highlighted by Jude Warwick's three-run blast, lifted the Lakeland Flying Tigers (17-14) to an 11-4 win over the St. Lucie Mets (13-18) on Friday night at Joker Marchant Stadium.

Warwick wasted no time kicking off his huge night, leading off the bottom of the first with a solo shot off starter Cam Tilly. Two innings later, Lakeland exploded for eight more runs off the right-hander. Warwick led off the third inning with a double, Jordan Yost singled and Zach MacDonald singled, with a run scoring on a fielding error from the center fielder, doubling the Flying Tigers lead to 2-0.

Beau Ankeney's three-run blast made it four straight hits to begin the inning, giving Lakeland a 5-0 advantage. Carson Rucker tripled and Edian Espinal singled him home before Javier Osorio singled, resulting in seven consecutive hits to start the inning. Warwick drove both men in on a three-run shot, capping off an eight-run, eight-hit inning, with the Flying Tigers surging to a 9-0 lead.

Troy Melton made his second rehab start in five days and twirled 3.0 perfect innings while striking out five.

St. Lucie responded with three runs off Jan Caraballo in the fifth. Chase Meggers singled, Branny De Oleo doubled and Francisco Toledo drove in Meggers on a groundout. Jamari Baylor smashed his first home run as a member of the Mets organization, launching a two-run blast to cut the deficit to 9-3. The Mets added one in the sixth off Caraballo after Edward Lantigua doubled, stole third and scored on an AJ Salgado groundout.

Lakeland capped the scoring in the eighth off Christian Rodriguez. MacDonald reached on a fielder's choice and Rucker drove him in on a double. Espinal tripled home Rucker, extending the Flying Tigers lead to seven, resulting in an 11-4 victory.

Jose Guzman (2-0) earned the win, hurling 2.0 innings of relief while allowing one hit and striking out one. Tilly (2-1) took the loss, allowing a career-high eight runs on nine hits while striking out two over 2.2 innings.

The Flying Tigers look for the series win on Saturday as they host the Mets in the penultimate game of a six-game set at 6:00 p.m. RHP Beau Brieske (0-0, 0.00) toes the rubber for Lakeland as he faces off against St. Lucie RHP Jose Chirinos (1-1, 2.84).

Check out the Lakeland Flying Tigers Statistics

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Florida State League Stories from May 9, 2026


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