The St. Lucie Mets came from behind to edge the Tampa Yankees 3-2 at Tradition Field on Monday night.
With the Mets trailing 2-1 in the seventh, Eudy Pina tripled to right field to plate Aderlin Rodriguez to tie the game 2-2. The next batter Phillip Evans drove a pitch from Dietrich Enns into center field for a base hit to score Pina and put the Mets on top 3-2.
Jake Kuebler stranded the tying run on third in the eighth by striking out Angelo Gumbs and Zach Wilson.
Randy Fontanez struck out the side in the ninth to close out the game and earn his fifth save in six chances. Mets pitchers struck out 12 batters, including the final five to finish off the Yankees in the opener of the four-game series.
The Mets (22-15) have won four in a row and lead the Fort Myers Miracle (21-15) by one game for first place in the Florida State League South Division.
St. Lucie had a chance to blow the game open early but could not come up with the big hit. Dilson Herrera, Brandon Nimmo and T.J. Rivera all singled to start the bottom of the first against Conner Kendrick. Rivera’s single scored Herrera give the Mets 1-0 advantage.
The inning ended when Cam Maron grounded into a double play. That would become a theme, as Kendrick induced four double play balls in his six innings of work.
Mets starter Gabriel Ynoa struck out six in five innings. His one mistake was giving up a two-out, two-run double to Eric Jagielo in the third inning that put the Yankees in front 2-1. Both runs were unearned, as Rodriguez made a throwing error at third base to start the inning.
Ryan Fraser pitched a scoreless sixth and seventh inning to earn his first win of the season.
Herrera, River and Pina had two hits apiece. Evans extended his hitting streak to seven games. He has six RBIs in his last six contests.
Greg Bird went 3 for 4 for the Yankees with two doubles. Enns took the loss. - team press release