PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (July 23, 2026) – The St. Lucie Mets and Fort Myers Mighty Mussels split their doubleheader on Thursday at Clover Park. The Mets won the first game 1-0 while the Mussels rebounded to win game 2, 3-1.
In game 1, three Mets pitchers combined for the two-hit shutout. All three pitched out of major jams. The trio of starter Joel Lara and relievers Omar Victorino and Zack Mack held the Mussels to 0 for 11 with runners in scoring position and stranded 12 base runners.
Lara pitched the first 3.2 innings and gave up one hit. He walked five and struck out four.
Victorino got the win. He pitched 2.1 innings with two walks and two strikeouts.
Mack stranded the bases loaded in the seventh. He struck out Quentin Young on a fastball to end the game.
The Mets scored the game’s only run on a two-out RBI single by Marco Vargas in the third inning.
Fort Myers starter Reed Morning took a tough loss. He allowed the one run over 5.0 innings. He walked one and struck out five.
The Mets offense produced eight hits, all singles. Seven of the nine batters in the Mets lineup recorded a hit. Simon Juan went 2 for 3 and had the only multi-hit game.
The victory snapped a six-game doubleheader losing streak.
In game 2, the Mussels scored their first run of the day in the first inning when Ramiro Dominguez scored from third base on a double play ball induced by Mets starter Joel Diaz.
Harry Genth hit a critical two-run double off Diaz in the second inning to make it 3-0. The hit came on a two-strike pitch with two outs.
Mussels starter Merit Jones pitched 5.0 shutout innings to get the win. He scattered four singles, did not walk a batter and struck out six.
Twice Jones retired Mets slugger Randy Guzman as the tying run. He got Guzman to ground out in the third inning with two runners on and got Guzman to fly out to center to end a threat in the fifth.
Brent Francisco pitched the final two innings to get the save.
The Mets avoided the shutout by scoring against Francisco in the seventh. Taylor Darden hit a triple and Jackson Hauge followed with a sac fly to make it 3-1.
Diaz took the loss. He was charged with three runs over 2.2 innings.
Mets relievers Elwis Mijares (2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 K) and Joe Scarborough (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 K) pitched scoreless ball behind Diaz.
Chase Meggers paced the offense by going 2 for 3.
The Mets (10-16, 43-49) and Mighty Mussels (12-14, 49-42) play the fifth game of their series at Clover Park on Friday. First pitch is 6:10 p.m. It’s Vets at the Mets. All veterans and active duty military receive free admission courtesy of LYNQ Real Estate. Kids can run the bases after the game.