Palm Beach Wins Eighth-Straight Opening Night Game
JUPITER, FL – The Palm Beach Cardinals (1-0) extended their opening day win streak to eight games as they defeated their division-rival St. Lucie Mets (0-1) by a final score of 6-3 on Thursday night at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. The victory marked the first career professional win for new
JUPITER, FL – The Palm Beach Cardinals (1-0) extended their opening day win streak to eight games as they defeated their division-rival St. Lucie Mets (0-1) by a final score of 6-3 on Thursday night at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. The victory marked the first career professional win for new Palm Beach manager Rich Benjamin.
The Cardinals struck first in the 2026 season in the bottom of the second inning. With two outs, Jonathan Mejia smacked his first home run of the season, a solo home run to left field off of St. Lucie starting pitcher Nicolas Carreño, to give Palm Beach a 1-0 lead.
Palm Beach starting pitcher Ethan Young, who made his professional debut, did not allow a run through his first three innings on the mound. However, the Mets got a rally going in the top of the fourth. With runners at first and third base and one out, Chase Meggers drove in the tying run on an RBI single to make it 1-1. Young finished his debut with 3 2/3 innings pitched and allowed one run on two hits and tallied one strikeout. Robbie Knowles (W, 1-0) came out of the bullpen and struck out the only batter he faced to end the threat.
The Beach Birds immediately responded in the bottom of the frame. With two outs and two runners on base, Chase Heath drilled his first home run of the season, a three-run home run to left field, to put Palm Beach back on top at a 4-1 score.
Later, in the bottom of the seventh inning, the Cardinals added some insurance runs. With two runners on, Jack Gurevitch hit a RBI single to right field. On the same play, Mets’ right fielder Simon Juan slipped and lost the baseball allowing an additional run to score to extend the Cardinals’ lead to 6-1.
Meanwhile, Alex Breckheimer shut down St. Lucie hitters through his first three innings which included six strikeouts. However, in the top of the eighth inning, Breckheimer surrendered a two-run home run to AJ Salgado to cut the Palm Beach lead to 6-3.
The Mets threatened in the eighth and ninth innings, but Jovi Galvez (H, 1) and Antoni Cuello (Sv, 1) shut the door on Opening Night as the Cardinals defeated the Mets by the 6-3 final score.
Eight out of nine starters reached base at least once. Heath went 2-for-3 with his three-run home run and two runs scored to lead the Cardinals.
Palm Beach continues their opening series with game two against St. Lucie on Friday, April 3rd with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Click here to purchase your Palm Beach Cardinals tickets.
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.