JUPITER, FL – The Palm Beach Cardinals (13-10, 46-43) could not complete the comeback as they fell to the St. Lucie Mets (8-14, 41-47) by a final score of 8-6 on Sunday afternoon at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. The Mets take the regular season series 15-9 and take two of three games this weekend.
The Mets got to work on offense in the top of the first inning against Palm Beach starting pitcher Cade Crossland (L, 4-5). With runners at second and third base with one out, Randy Guzman hit an RBI infield single to put St. Lucie on the scoreboard. Trey Snyder followed Guzman with a two-RBI single to put the Mets ahead at 3-0.
The Mets extended their lead in the top of the third inning. With one out and two runners on base, Snyder hit a three-run home run, his second of the season, to give the Mets a 6-0 lead. Crossland was pulled from his start after 2 1/3 innings and six earned runs allowed.
The Cardinals finally got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth inning when Ryan Mitchell hit a solo home run, his 10th of the year, down the left field line to cut the deficit to 6-1 through six innings.
Gabriel Chinchilla, who made his Single-A debut in relief for Palm Beach, held the Mets’ offense scoreless through his first three innings of work. However, the Mets added to their lead with a two-run home run by Branny De Oleo to make it an 8-1 St. Lucie lead.
On the first pitch in the bottom of the seventh inning, Yordalin Peña launched his team-leading 13th home run of the season to cut into the deficit. Later in the inning, the Cardinals drew three walks to load the bases. With one out, Yairo Padilla hit his first career home run for Palm Beach, a grand slam home run down the left field line, which cut the Cardinals’ deficit to 8-6 after seven innings.
Despite the comeback effort by Palm Beach and bringing the tying run to the plate in the ninth inning, the Cardinals could not score another run and ultimately fell by the 8-6 score on Sunday afternoon.
Mitchell finished 3-for-5 at the plate with a home run and a run scored. Pena’s solo home run in the seventh inning tied a Palm Beach Single-A single-season record with Rainiel Rodriguez who also hit 13 home runs with Palm Beach in 2025.
The Cardinals stay home for a six-game series against the Tampa Tarpons beginning on Tuesday, July 21 with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Click here to purchase your Palm Beach Cardinals tickets.
For select Saturdays in 2026, the Palm Beach Cardinals take on the alternate identity of the “Palm Beach Frozen Iguanas!” You can join the cold front and purchase an “Ice Cold 6-Pack” ticket package to get a ticket for all Frozen Iguanas games, exclusive benefits, and access to special events as part of this season-long membership.
Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium is “America’s Busiest Ballpark” as the only home of two full season minor league affiliates. Enjoy the best entertainment membership packages in Palm Beach County with our staple programs like “Rockwell Hearing Center Silver Sluggers” every Wednesday for all fans 55 and up, “Thirsty Thursdays” every Thursday for all fans 21 and up, and “Code Ninjas Kids Club” every Saturday for all fans 15 and under.
New to 2026, fans can purchase tickets to the Jupiter Medical Center Champions Club down the left field line for an elevated baseball experience. Returning for 2026, every Tuesday game is a “2-for-1 Tuesday” where fans get two reserved box tickets for the price of one ($15) and every Sunday game is a “$10 Sunday” where all tickets are just 10 dollars. For more information on tickets, schedules, promotions, and more, call the ticket office at 561-630-1828 or visit the Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium website.
About Jupiter Stadium, LTD:
Opening in 1998, the 110-acre complex/stadium is specially designed to house two Major League and two Minor League Baseball Teams. The stadium is home to the Miami Marlins and the St. Louis Cardinals for Spring Training. The Florida State League’s Jupiter Hammerheads (Class A Affiliate of the Miami Marlins) and Palm Beach Cardinals (Class A Affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals) make their home at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium from April through September. Branded as “America’s Busiest Ballpark,” this year-round facility can accommodate everything from birthday parties to corporate outings to tournaments, while never forgetting that every fan is our most important priority.