The St. Lucie Mets opened their road series against the Jupiter Hammerheads with an 11-2 rout Tuesday night at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium, leading from the first pitch to the last.
Leadoff hitter Antonio Jimenez set the tone immediately, homering on the very first pitch of the game from Jupiter starter Jonas Uzcategui. Jimenez finished the night 4 for 6 with the home run, two doubles, four runs scored and two stolen bases. He came a triple short of the cycle, striking out and hitting into a fielder's choice in his final two at-bats.
Four St. Lucie pitchers held the Hammerheads to just two hits. Starter Jose Lopez, making his team debut, worked four solid innings, allowing one hit and two runs with four walks and four strikeouts. Relievers Zack Mack, Miguel Mejias and Elwis Mijares combined for five innings of one-hit relief. Mack earned the win.
The Mets built a 3-0 lead through two innings before Jupiter answered with two runs and put the tying run on third base in the fourth. Lopez escaped the jam by getting Edgardo De Leon to pop out, preserving a 3-2 lead.
St. Lucie broke the game open with four runs in the sixth. Branny De Oleo drove in a run with a single, Jimenez scored on a wild pitch, and AJ Salgado added a two-run single to push the lead to 7-2.
The Mets tacked on two unearned runs in the eighth on a Jupiter error and another run-scoring wild pitch, then closed the scoring in the ninth on a De Oleo RBI single and yet another wild pitch that brought Jimenez home.
De Oleo went 2 for 5 with three RBI and Salgado added two hits and two RBI. Julio Zayas drew four walks, while Jeremy Rodriguez walked twice and scored two runs.
The win improved St. Lucie to 8-2 at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium this season and marked its third straight victory over Jupiter. The Mets (4-10, 37-43) and Hammerheads (5-11, 42-40) continue their series Wednesday, with first pitch set for 6:30 p.m.