Thomas Szapucki, Photo By Ernest Dove
Baseball’s top prospect Wander Franco broke a 1-1 tie with a two-out solo home run in the fifth inning to propel the Charlotte Stone Crabs to a 2-1 win over the St. Lucie Mets at First Data Field on Tuesday night.
The Stone Crabs won for the 19th time in their last 21 games and increased their FSL South Division lead to four games over the Mets, who lost for just the third time in 12 games.
The two teams traded runs in the first inning. Ronaldo Hernandez hit a RBI single to bring home Franco, who previously singled and stole second.
The Mets countered in the bottom of the first on a RBI single by Carlos Cortes. (Video below)
Jeremy Vasquez followed with a double to set the Mets up with two runners in scoring position with only one out. However, the Mets could not take the lead. Dan Rizzie hit a grounder that resulted in the second out coming at home plate. Cody Bohanek then ripped a ball down the third base line that Jim Haley made a highlight reel play on with a diving stop. Haley rifled a throw to first base to get Bohanek to end the inning and take away a go-ahead extra base hit.
The pitching then took over for both teams from there. Rays highly regarded pitching prospect Shane McClanahan would go on to retire 18 straight batters after that Vasquez double and did not allow another run the rest of his night on the mound lasting 6.2 innings.
Mets highly touted pitching prospect Thomas Szapucki, in only his third appearance of the year with St. Lucie following his promotion from Low A, went toe-to-toe with McClanahan. Below is video of all seven strikeouts recorded by Szapucki on the night.
The key for Szapucki all night was his breaking ball. A curveball which sat 79-82 MPH was his out pitch on all two-strike counts to hitters. Six of his recorded seven strikeouts on the night were off this pitch.
Szapucki fastball per stadium radar was sitting in the low 90s, topping 94 early in the game. He was able to hit the corners with it, recording one strikeout on a high rising fastball.
Szapucki put together a string of setting down 10 of 11 batters between the third and fifth inning before allowing a fifth inning home run to baseball’s top prospect Wander Franco. After a questionable non-call on a check swing lead to a walk, Szapucki night was done.
Overall he had his longest outing of the 2019 season in both innings (4.2) and total pitches (76) in what was a good sign for the lefty as he continues to come back from Tommy John surgery.
The Mets bullpen held it’s own against a tough lineup, led by Darwin Ramos, Yeizo Campos and Marcel Renteria who combined for 4.1 scoreless innings to keep the game in reach.
The Mets had one last opportunity at the plate in the eighth inning. Hansel Moreno led off with a single but was erased on a caught stealing. One pitch later Blake Tiberi worked a walk. Jacob Zanon followed with another walk.
Stone Crabs closer Chandler Raiden entered and retired Cortes on a line out to the warning track in right field. Raiden then retired Vasquez to end the inning.
Manny Rodriguez picked up a two-out single in the bottom of the ninth but Raiden got Edgardo Fermin to pop out to end the game and pick up his eighth save.
Full box score here
The Mets (18-10, 50-44) and Stone Crabs (21-5, 56-36) play the second game of their series at First Data Field on Wednesday. It’s Camp Day at the ballpark with the contest starting at 10:30 a.m.
