Palm Beach Aims to Continue Hot Start Against St. Lucie

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (Interstat) — The surging Palm Beach Cardinals look to build on their Florida State League-best record Wednesday when they visit the St. Lucie Mets at Clover Park.

First pitch is scheduled for 6:10 p.m. EDT under cloudy skies with a temperature near 73 degrees.

The Cardinals (11-4) have won seven of their last 10 and are coming off a 17-2 rout of these same Mets on Tuesday. Palm Beach will send right-hander Frank Camarillo (0-1) to the mound seeking his first win of the season.

St. Lucie (8-7), which had won four straight before Tuesday’s blowout loss, will counter with a bullpen that features a red-hot arm in Christian Rodriguez. The reliever has been dominant, not allowing a run in his last five appearances spanning 9 1/3 innings, while striking out 11. He earned a win against Palm Beach on April 3.

A key player to watch for the Cardinals is right-handed pitcher Ty Van Dyke, who has been nearly untouchable. Over his last three outings, he has pitched 14 1/3 innings, allowing just five hits and zero earned runs while striking out 16 batters. He closed out Sunday’s 7-6 win over Jupiter with 2 2/3 scoreless innings and six strikeouts.

The season series is tied 2-2, with St. Lucie winning two low-scoring games in early April before Palm Beach’s offensive explosion Tuesday.

According to Interstat’s game simulator, the Cardinals are projected to win 7-5.

Following Wednesday’s contest, the teams will meet again for four more games through Sunday at Clover Park.