Sweeney leads Charlotte to 10-6 win over Mets

Game recap provided by Stone Crabs broadcaster Grant McAuley.

The Charlotte Stone Crabs notched their fourth win in a row with a 10-6 thumping of the St. Lucie Mets on Tuesday at Digital Doman Park.

Four different Stone Crabs players collected three hits as the team tied a franchise record with 17-hit attack. Matt Sweeney went 3-for-3 for three walks and belted his fourth homer of the season to pace the offense.

The Stone Crabs enjoyed a five-run fifth inning for the second consecutive day to deal yet another loss to a scuffling Mets team. Charlotte has now won four in a row and five of their last six contests, while St. Lucie has lost five of their last six games.

Charlotte’s five-run fifth inning came at the expense of St. Lucie reliever Jimmy Johnson (1-1), and was highlighted by Stephen Vogt’s two-run double and a line-drive two-run homer off the bat of Sweeney. Anothony Scelfo also chipped in an RBI-single.

Vogt finished 1-for-5 with a two-run double and a pair of walks to push his hitting streak to eight games. During the streak, Vogt is hitting .478 (11-for-23) with five doubles, a homer and six RBI’s.

Sweeney, Scelfo, Isaias Velasquez and Shawn Williams all collected three-hits apiece to help tie the club’s single game hit record. Charlotte hitters combined to draw nine walks as well, just one shy of the franchise mark in that category.

Two-out RBI’s were the order of the day for the Stone Crabs, who drove in eight of their 10 runs with two outs in an inning. That included all five of the runs plated in the fifth inning rally.

Neither starter was able to last four innings. Both Chris Andujar and Eric Bealac were both pulled after 3 2/3 innings of work. Bealac issued a season-high seven walks and surrendered four earned runs on five hits, while Andujar allowed four runs – three earned – on eight hits and a walk.

Mike Jarman (1-1) picked up the win despite walking three men and allowing a pair of earned runs in his one inning relief stint. Tommy Rafferty and Zach Quate combined to toss four scoreless innings to close out the game.

The series concludes on Wednesday as the Stone Crabs go for the sweep, sending left-hander Matt Moore (0-2) to the mound. St. Lucie will counter with righty Chris Schwinden (1-0). First pitch is set for 7:00 p.m.