JUPITER, FL – The Palm Beach Cardinals (31-29) fell to the St. Lucie Mets (27-33) by a final score of 2-0 on Thursday night at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. It was the Cardinals’ second shutout loss of the week.
Cooper Hjerpe made his first start in a full-season MiLB game since 2024 and tossed two shutout innings. The Cardinals’ first-round selection in 2023 is coming off Tommy John surgery that sidelined him last year.
The first man out of the bullpen for Palm Beach was Xavier Cruz (L, 0-1), who made his Single-A debut in relief of Hjerpe. He struck out the first four hitters he faced and ended with six total punchouts.
However, in the top of the fifth inning, he walked three hitters and left the game with the bases loaded. Anthony Watts entered in relief with two outs. He induced a ground ball from Yohairo Cuevas, but an error allowed him to reach first base and a run to score. The next hitter, Julio Zayas, drew a walk, which put St. Lucie ahead 2-0.
Watts finished his 1 1/3-inning appearance with no runs to his name and one hit allowed. Antoni Cuello pitched the seventh and eighth innings for the Cardinals and struck out two hitters in his 2 1/3 innings of work.
The Cardinals were held scoreless by St. Lucie pitching. Emilio Obispo started the game and tossed four scoreless innings, where he struck out five hitters. The bullpen of Josh Blum (W, 1-2), Miguel Mejias and Joe Scarborough (SV, 4) combined for five one-hit innings.
Scarborough slammed the door in the ninth inning for a 2-0 Mets win. With this loss and a Jupiter win, Palm Beach is now three games behind the Hammerheads in the FSL East with just six games remaining in the first half.
The Cardinals and Mets head into the weekend portion of this six-game series with game four on Friday, June 12th 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 12-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.