PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (May 22, 2026) – The St. Lucie Mets earned their first walk-off win of the season at the conclusion of a wild ninth inning at Clover Park in a 7-6 victory over the Palm Beach Cardinals on Friday.
Mets no. 9 hitter Jamari Baylor hit a leadoff homer against Dylan Driessen in the bottom of the ninth to win the game for St. Lucie. Baylor was signed by the Mets out of Indy ball four weeks ago. It was his third homer since joining St. Lucie and his second straight game with a home run.
The ninth inning was shaping up to be drama free. The Mets entered the inning with a 6-3 lead. Mets long man Jose Chirinos retired the first two batters of the inning. At that point Chirinos had pitched 5.1 innings and struck out 10 batters. With Chirino’s pitch count high, the Mets removed him and brought in Miguel Mejias to get the final out.
Mejias walked the first two batters and hit the third batter to load the bases. All three batters went to a 3-2 count. Jonathan Mejia hit a RBI single to make it 6-4 and reload the bases. Mejias then balked in a run to make it 6-5. Chase Heath hit a two-strike pitch into left for a game-tying single.
Mejias was able to get the third out on a ground ball that shortstop Elian Peña turned into a force at second base, stranding the go-ahead run at third base.
Baylor quickly erased any bad feelings from the top of the ninth with his leadoff homer to end the game. His long ball to left was hit 386 feet at a towering 43 degree launch angle on a 3-2 pitch.
New York Mets pitcher Kodai Senga (lumbar spine inflammation) began a rehab assignment. He logged 3.1 innings on 64 pitches. Senga scattered four hits, allowed two runs, walked one and struck out two.
Mets catcher Chase Meggers went 3 for 4 with a home run and two doubles. His solo homer in the fifth inning to put the Mets up 4-3 was the first of his pro career.
Branny De Oleo went 1 for 4 with a home run.
Randy Guzman went 2 for 3. It was his third straight two-hit game.
Pena was 2 for 4 from the leadoff spot.
The Mets (18-25) and Cardinals (24-19) play the fifth game of their series at Clover Park on Saturday. First pitch is 6:10 p.m. It’s Scooby Doo Night with postgame fireworks!