Fort Myers 12, St. Lucie 2
A night after St. Lucie starter Matthew Bowman twirled a gem over eight innings, Alex Panteliodis staggered to the opposite end of the pitching spectrum Saturday at Fort Myers. After throwing two scoreless innings to begin the game, Panteliodis was tagged for four runs in each of the next two before departing in the fourth after surrendering a season-high eight runs during the Mets’ 12-2 lopsided loss.
The 10-run defeat marked just the second time St. Lucie suffered a loss by double-digits this season and first occasion since April 19th, which also came against the slugging Miracle. Panteliodis (2-3) allowed eight hits and two walks with just one strikeout over 3.2 innings as his ERA ballooned from 3.44 to 4.56.
In a pitching staff loaded with budding prospects, Panteliodis appears to be lagging behind and has now permitted at least two runs in each of his past five starts for a 5.84 ERA during that span. The left-hander has completed more than six innings only once over that stretch. Conversely, Bowman is sporting a 2.33 ERA in nine starts with St. Lucie.
With two regulars — shortstop Matt Reynolds (knee) and catcher Kevin Plawecki (hip) — out of the lineup due to injury, the Mets (41-36) were unable to muster much offense against Fort Myers starter Matt Tomshaw, who yielded just two runs (one earned) over eight innings. Only one player had multiple hits as outfielder Matt den Dekker finished 3-for-4 with a run scored. Reynolds and Plawecki were both able to take batting practice before the game and could return to action Sunday.
First baseman Jayce Boyd, who served as the designated hitter Saturday, went 1-for-4, giving him a hit in each of his first 10 games with St. Lucie. He is now boasting a .419 batting average and posted an RBI in all but two of those outings (11 total). Dustin Lawley, possibly the hottest player on the club, had his five-game hitting streak halted. He was a sizzling 12-for-23 (.521) with a pair of homers during that run.
The Mets will send Rainy Lara (2-2, 2.10 ERA) to the mound Sunday for the second game of the series in an attempt to stop a three-game losing streak. He will be opposed by Fort Myers’ Jason Wheeler (6-3, 4.78 and no relation to Zack).
In other injury news, pitcher Hansel Robles is still on track to start the series opener against Jupiter on July 4th, the team’s radio broadcast reported. Also, fellow pitcher Michael Fulmer could join St. Lucie by the second week of July. Fulmer, a first-round pick in the 2011 MLB Draft, is currently rehabbing a knee injury with the Mets’ Gulf Coast League squad.
Key Stats
T.J. Rivera: 1-for-3, 1 R, 1 BB
Matt den Dekker: 3-for-4, 1 R
Jayce Boyd: 1-for-4
Alex Panteliodis: 3.2 IP, 8 H, 2 BB, 8 ER, 1 K
Estarlin Morel: 2.1 IP, 4 H, 0 BB, 1 ER, 1 K
Tim Byrdak: 0.2 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 2 ER, 1 K