The Palm Beach Cardinals struggled to start the week, losing three straight heading into their Friday game against Lakeland. A late inning comeback helped the Cards’ end their losing streak with a 9-6 victory Friday. The Cardinals followed their exciting victory, with a dramatic three run ninth inning to win their second straight against Lakeland on Saturday. Lets take a closer look at their exciting victories and disappointing loses this week that have kept the Card’s in second place in the Florida State Leagues Eastern Division.
Friday 5/25- The Cards’ dropped their third straight on Friday losing to Lakeland 5-0. The entire line up was shut down by a overpowering performance by Lucas French of the Lakeland Flying Tigers. Cards’ starter Trey Hearne had a rough outing allowing eleven hits and five runs in five innings pitched. Hearne’s main problem was his inability to throw strikes, which forced him into hitters’ counts allowing Flying Tigers hitters to tee off. The only player who had any success with the bat against Lakeland was Nathan Southard; the outfielder had two of the Cards’ seven hits. His first time up, Southard didn’t even get to take a swing before Martinez was caught napping and was picked off first base. When Southard was eventually able to take his swings he was effective, in the top of the third he lined a rope to dead center field for a single and in the top of the eighth he hit another liner to center.
Saturday 5/26- Trailing 5-3 heading into the seventh the Cards’ looked like they were on their way to fourth straight defeat, but Martinez was not going to let that happen. Dan Nelson started the inning by grounding to the shortstop for what looked like a sure out, but the first baseman was unable to handle the throw and the hustling Nelson reached on an error. A.J. Van Slyke stepped up to the plate and skys a ball deep to left center that bounces off the wall for an RBI double, after a walk to Mark Hamilton, Yarbrough executed a perfect sacrifice bunt to advance Hamilton to second and Van Slyke to third. An intentional walk to Church to load the bases, Danilo Sanchez looped a fly ball to short center allowing Van Slyke to score. After a Southard groundout Martinez stepped up to the plate and hit a home run just over the fence in left. Gary Daley got the start for the Cards’ pitching four inning and giving up five runs, Fernando Salas came in the fifth earned the victory pitching a scoreless fifth and sixth. Luke Gregerson came on in the ninth and shut the door on Lakeland giving the Cards’ a 9-6 victory and earning his tenth save of the season.
Sunday 5/27- Van Slyke put the Card’s ahead for good in the top of the ninth, taking advantage of throwing error on the Flying Tigers. That topped and exciting ninth inning comeback by the Cards’ who were trailing 2-0 going into the inning. Martinez started the rally by hitting a line drive to left for his eighth double of the season. After back to back fly ball outs by Allen Craig and Southard, Nelson drove the ball into center for a RBI single. Van Slyke followed with a rocket double to left center driving in Nelson and tying the game at two. Hamilton appeared to have ended the inning with a fly ball to center but the center fielder dropped it and Van Slyke was able to score the eventual winning run. Gregerson came on in the bottom of the ninth and shut down Lakeland to earn his eleventh save of the season.
News and Notes
5/29- Outfielder Jim Rapoport has been promoted to the Palm Beach Cardinals
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