Mets Comeback Bid Falls Just Short in 5-4 Loss to Tortugas

April 24, 2025 - Florida State League (FSL)
St. Lucie Mets News Release

St. Lucie Mets pitcher Matt Allan
(St. Lucie Mets)

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - The Daytona Tortugas held off the St. Lucie Mets 5-4 on Thursday night at Clover Park. The Mets' four-game winning streak came to an end.

The Mets trailed 5-1 in the bottom of the ninth but the first three batters reached base, as Yohairo Cuevas, Kevin Villavicencio and Vincent Perozo notched singles against Jake Gilbert. Perozo's hit drove in Cuevas to make it 5-2. Later in the inning Willy Fanas produced a run-scoring ground out to make it 5-3. With two outs Jeremy Rodriguez hit a ground ball that was thrown away by second baseman Iverson Espinoza. Perozo scored to make it 5-4 and Rodriguez scooted up to second base as the tying run. However, Trent Hodgdon struck out the next batter Colin Houck to end the game.

Daytona scored a critical insurance run in the top of the ninth when Espinoza reached on a throwing error by pitcher Channing Austin. Espinoza went to second on the play and scored on Kyle Henley's ensuing single.

The Tortugas broke a 1-1 tie with three runs off Austin in the sixth inning. Esmith Pineda hit a RBI single and an error on left fielder Simon Juan brought in another run on the play to make it 3-1. Austin later uncorked a wild pitch with two outs and a runner on third base that brought in another run that made it 4-1.

Sammy Stafura got the Tortugas on the board in the second inning with a solo home run off Mets starter Matt Allan. The Mets tied the game in the third inning on a two-out RBI triple from A.J. Ewing.

The Mets pounded out 10 hits after recording just seven hits in the first two games of the series. Eight of the nine starters registered a hit. Villavicencio and Fanas each went 2 for 4.

Allan allowed one run and one hit over 2.0 innings. Dylan Tebrake fired 2.0 scoreless innings with three strikeouts in a MiLB rehab appearance. Juan Arnaud pitched a 1-2-3 fifth inning with two strikeouts.

Austin took the loss, giving up four runs (three earned) on five hits over 4.0 innings. He walked four and struck out three.

Tortugas long reliever JP Ortiz shut out the Mets over 4.0 innings to get the win. Hodgdon was awarded the one-out save.

The Mets (10-8) and Tortugas (9-9) play the fourth game of their series at Clover Park on Friday. First pitch is 6:10 p.m. It's Vets at the Mets presented by Baron Real Estate. All active military members and veterans receive free admission.

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St. Lucie Mets pitcher Matt Allan

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