Aguiar’s multi-homer game powers Mussels to 8-3 win
TAMPA – Carlos Aguiar slugged two long home runs Saturday to power the Mighty Mussels past the Tampa Tarpons 8-3 at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
Both of Aguiar’s home runs left the bat at over 107 miles per hour and traveled out of the stadium to right center, giving him four home runs through his first 16 games.
With Fort Myers (44-32, 3-9) trailing 2-0 in the fourth, Keoni Cavaco led off the inning with a solo shot to right to cut the lead to 2-1. With one out, Mikey Perez singled and before Aguiar powered a moonshot to right-center field to put the Mussels up 3-2.
With runners on second and third and no outs in the fifth, Misael Urbina doubled and eventually scored on a wild pitch. Then Cavaco added to the tally with a single to extend the lead to 5-2.
After Tampa (37-43, 10-4) made it 6-3 in the bottom of the seventh, Perez led off the eighth with a single. The next batter was Rubel Cespedes, who doubled to center to score Perez and extend the lead to 7-3. Aguiar then hit his second home run of the game to make it 8-3.
Marco Raya started and worked four innings, giving up four hits and two runs while striking out six Tarpons hitters. Pierson Ohl (4-4) earned the win, tossing five innings and striking out a career-high 10.
Sunday’s final game of the series was rained out.
Clearwater invades Hammond Stadium at the Lee County Sports Complex Tuesday night for the start of a six-game series. First pitch is at 7 p.m.
Tampa sweeps Fort Myers in Friday twin-bill
TAMPA — Failing to hold an early 3-0 lead, the Mighty Mussels fell to the Tampa Tarpons, 5-3, in seven innings Friday night in the first game of a twinbill at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
In the second game, the Tarpons scored three runs in the first two innings and then held on to win the second game, 3-1, also a seven-inning tilt.
In the first game, the Mussels (43-32, 2-9) tallied their three runs in the top of the second inning thanks to a pair of two-out RBI connections by Rubel Cespedes and Kala’i Rosario. Cespedes drove in two with his single.
Tampa plated a run in the bottom of the second on a home run by Ben Rice, and then took control of the game by scoring four more runs in the bottom of the sixth. Rice added his second RBI of the game in the inning, but the big hit was by Roberto Chirinos, who drove in two with a triple.
Mike Paredes started for the Mussels, working four innings and allowing just four hits and one run while striking out three. He was followed to the mound by John Wilson (1-2) who suffered the loss, pitching 1.1 innings and allowing four runs on five hits.
Juan Carela (5-2) earned the pitching win for Tampa (37-42, 10-3), allowing six hits and three runs over 6 innings.
In game two, the Mussels managed six hits, led by Rosario who had two, including his 9th home run and 32 RBI, and a pair by Cespedes, one a double, but could only manage the one run.
Tampa jumped out to an early 1-0 lead on Jasson Dominguez’ solo home run in the first and then added two more in the second, one on Grant Richardson’s double. Benjamin Cowles hit a double and a triple for the Tarpons.
Malik Barrington (2-2) took the loss for the Mussels, allowing all three runs on four hits with six strikeouts and two walks in three innings pitched.
Richard Fitts (3-6) claimed the win for Tampa, pitching 5.1 innings, allowing the run on five hits with seven strikeouts.