St. Lucie Mets Game Recap: Dunedin Blue Jays rally in the 9th to beat St-L Mets 3-2

 

St. Lucie Mets Via X

Mets pitchers combine for 13 strikeouts

Box Score: Jeremy Rodriguez*  SS 0 for 4; 1 walk; 4 Ks; Trey Snyder  2B 0 for 5; 1 run; Colin Houck  3B 2 for 5; 1 run; 3 Ks; 1 double; Corey Collins*  DH 1 for 1; 1 RBI; 3 walks; Trace Willhoite  1B 1 for 5; 1 RBI; 1 SB; Yohairo Cuevas*  LF 1 for 2; 1 walk; Simon Juan  RF 0 for 2; 2 walks; 1 K; Vincent Perozo*  C 0 for 4; 1 K; Yonatan Henriquez#  CF 0 for 3; 1 walk; 1 K; 2 SBs; Franklin Gomez*   3.2 innings; no runs; 1 walk; 6 Ks; Brett Banks   1.1 innings; 1 run; 1 ER; 2 hits; 1 K; Wellington Aracena  (L, 0-1)(BS, 1) 4 innings; 2 runs; 2 ERs; 3 hits; 2 walks; 6 Ks; 

By Adam MacDonald, St. Lucie Mets Bropadcaster

 

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (June 3, 2025) – The St. Lucie Mets were one out away from a series opening victory against the Dunedin Blue Jays but the Jays rallied for two runs in the top of the ninth for a 3-2 win on Tuesday night at Clover Park.

 

The Mets entered the ninth inning clinging to a 2-1 lead. Wellington Aracena walked the first two batters of the inning. Aracena rebounded to get a strikeout and a flyout, setting up a showdown with Tucker Toman with the game on the line. Toman grounded Aracena’s first pitch up the middle for a RBI single that tied the game 2-2.

 

The next batter Kendry Chirinos hit a slow bouncer up the third base line. Colin Houck fired a throw to first base and on a bang-bang play Chirinos was called safe. Edward Duran scored from third base on the infield hit to put the Blue Jays up 3-2.

 

Corey Collins hit a two-out single in the bottom of the ninth but reliever Jack Eshelman got Trace Willhoite to line out to end the game.

 

The Mets dropped their first game when leading after eight innings. They had been 23-0.

 

The Mets scored both of their runs in the first inning on a sac fly by Collins and a two-out RBI single by Willhoite against Dunedin starter Colby Holcombe. The hit by Willhoite was the only one for the Mets with a runner in scoring position. They ended the night 1 for 9 with RISP and left 11 runners on base.

 

The Blue Jays didn’t get their first hit until one out in the fifth inning when Toman singled off reliever Brett Banks. Toman went to second on a wild pitch, to third on a single and scored on a Yhoangel Aponte sac fly to make it 2-1.

 

Aracena mowed through the Dunedin lineup in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings before running into trouble in the ninth. He retired eight in a row heading into the final inning.

 

Mets starter Franklin Gomez was excellent, holding the Blue Jays scoreless and hitless over 3.2 innings. He walked one and struck out six. Gomez faced the minimum.

 

Collins went 1 for 1 with a single, three walks and the sacrifice fly. Houck was 2 for 5 with a double.

 

The Blue Jays bullpen pitched 6.1 scoreless innings. Eminen Flores pitched 2.0 hitless innings to get the win.

 

The Mets (28-23) and Blue Jays (26-26) play the second game of their series at Clover Park on Wednesday. First pitch is 1:10 p.m.

Trace Willhoite 106 off the bat to make it 2-0 Mets! pic.twitter.com/BWF8jAvfmU

— St. Lucie Mets (@stluciemets) June 3, 2025

Franklin Gomez, take a bow!
2.2 IP 0 H 0 R 1 BB 6 K pic.twitter.com/ir5Na2Cgrt

— St. Lucie Mets (@stluciemets) June 3, 2025