St. Lucie Mets Game Recap: St-L Mets survive late scare, slip by Palm Beach Cardinals 5-4 for series win

 

Emilio Obispo, Photo courtesy of the St, Lucie Mets

Box Score: Elian Peña*; SS 1 for 3; 1 run; 1 walk; 1 K; Antonio Jimenez; 3B 1 for 4; 1 RBI; 1 K; 1 double; Yohairo Cuevas*; 1B 1 for 4; 1 run; 2 Ks; 1 double; Julio Zayas; C 0 for 3; 1 walk; Jeremy Rodriguez*; DH 0 for 2; 2 runs; 2 walks; 2 Ks; Branny De Oleo; LF 1 for 3; 1 run; 1 RBI; 1 walk; 1 K; Kevin Villavicencio; 2B 1 for 3; 1 RBI; 1 walk; 2 Ks; Sam Robertson; CF 1 for 3; 1 RBI; 1 walk; 1 K; 1 SB; Simon Juan; RF 0 for 4; 1 RBI; 2 Ks; Joel Lara;  2.2 innings; no runs; 2 walks; 3 Ks; Justin Armbruester; (W, 1-0) 1.1 innings; no runs; 1 hit; Emilio Obispo; (H, 1) 3.1 innings; 2 runs; 2 ERs; 6 hits; 7 Ks; Christian Rodriguez; (H, 2) 0.2 inning; no runs; 1 hit; 1 K; Joe Scarborough; (S, 2) 1 inning; 2 runs; 2 ERs; 3 hits; 1 walk; 

 

St. Lucie takes 4 of 6 in series vs. Palm Beach

 

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (May 24, 2026) – The St. Lucie Mets held off a late rally by the Palm Beach Cardinals to win the Sunday series finale 5-4 at Clover Park. The Mets won the series 4-2. It’s their first victorious home series of the year.

 

Joe Scarborough got Brayden Smith to fly out to center field to end the game, stranding the tying run on third base and the go-ahead run on second base. The previous batter Ryan Weingartner hit a two-run ground rule double that would have tied the game had the ball not bounced over the fence in left-center field.

 

The Mets scored two critical insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. Yohairo Cuevas led off the inning with a double and scored on a single by Branny De Oleo. Sam Robertson later beat out a double play attempt with the bases loaded to plate Jeremy Rodriguez to give the Mets a 5-2 cushion.

 

Scarborough was credited with his second save in eight days. He also got a win on Wednesday by protecting a one-run ninth inning lead.

 

Mets starter Joel Lara was activated off the IL before the game and pitched 2.2 hitless innings.

 

Justin Armbruester made his third MiLB rehab appearance and turned in 1.1 scoreless innings to get the win.

 

Long man Emilio Obispo struck out seven batters over 3.1 innings. He scattered six hits, allowed two runs and threw 66 pitches.

 

Six of the nine batters in the Mets lineup recorded a hit. No Met had a multi-hit game. Cuevas and Antonio Jimenez each went 1 for 4 with a double.

 

Elian Peña was 1 for 3 with a single and a walk.

Cardinals started Jacob Odle struck out eight batters in just 3.0 innings but he was tagged with the loss after giving up a two-out RBI double to Jimenez in the third inning that put the Mets up 1-0. The Mets held the lead the rest of the way.

 

The Mets have won six of their last eight games. They finished their 12-game home stand 6-6 after a 0-4 start. All six wins were by one or two runs.

 

The Mets (20-25) are off on Monday. They return to the diamond on Tuesday when they begin a six-game road series against the Bradenton Marauders. First pitch from LECOM Park on Tuesday is 6:30 p.m.

Kevin Villavicencio with a hot shot to third to make it 2-0! pic.twitter.com/HIaRkD6BF2

— St. Lucie Mets (@stluciemets) May 24, 2026

Branny De Oleo with the insurance! pic.twitter.com/ocKJA9XlyN

— St. Lucie Mets (@stluciemets) May 24, 2026