PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) -- Tim Tebow hit the first game-ending home run of his pro baseball career Thursday night, lifting the Class A St. Lucie Mets over the Daytona Tortugas 5-4 in a seven-inning game.
The former NFL quarterback went deep with one out against Cincinnati Reds minor leaguer Austin Orewiler, hitting a first-pitch fastball over the fence in left field.
It's his third home run in 16 Florida State League games following a promotion from Class A Columbia, and his sixth home run in 80 games overall in his first season as a minor leaguer.
Tebow says it was his first walk-off homer since the district championship game his junior year at Nease High School in Ponte Vedra Beach, near Jacksonville. The former Florida quarterback did not play his senior year in order to focus on football.
Tebow has hit safely in 11 straight games and is batting .327 with St. Lucie.
The victory capped a doubleheader sweep for the Mets. Minor league teams commonly play two seven-inning games during doubleheaders.
