Mighty Mussels drop three in a row to Marauders
Marauders down Mussels 12-10 in 12 innings
FORT MYERS – Despite collecting more hits than their opponents, and despite Noah Cardenas’ five-hit, four-RBI performance, the Mighty Mussels fell to Bradenton’s Marauders, 12-10, Sunday in a true slugfest.
In the game, the Mussels out-hit the Marauders 15-12 but came up short as Bradenton came up with two runs in the top of the 12th inning to secure the win in the see-saw affair.
Cardenas was the star of the game for both teams, hitting two home runs in a five-for-five night. On the night he also upped his season RBI total to 31.
Both teams used five pitchers in the game with Malik Barrington (3-5) suffering the loss, allowing three runs in two innings. The win went to Carlos Lomeli (4-4), who pitched three innings, allowing just one run on one hit.
The Mussels (55-43, 14-20) will now hit the road for two weeks, first with a six-game series against the Jupiter Hammerheads starting Tuesday, Aug. 9, and then traveling to Palm Beach to take on the Cardinals starting Aug. 16.
The Mussels next home series starts Aug. 23 when the Lakeland Flying Tigers invade Hammond Stadium. Game time is 7 p.m.
Mussels drop 9-6 slugfest to Marauders
FORT MYERS – The Mighty Mussels connected on six extra-base hits Saturday, but the Bradenton Marauders won a 9-6 slugfest at Hammond Stadium.
Both teams pounded out at least 11 hits, with Bradenton’s (51-49, 22-13) early lead ultimately holding up.
The Marauders registered 10 hits against Mussels’ (55-42, 14-19) starter Mike Paredes (7-3), scoring singular runs in the first, second and fourth.
Leading 3-0 in the fifth, Bradenton right fielder Rodolfo Nolasco reached on a throwing error. Two batters later, Lolo Sanchez singled him home to make it 4-0. The next batter was Jack Brannigan, who clubbed a two-run shot to left in his first Low-A game to make it 6-0.
Trailing 7-0 in the bottom of the fifth, Fort Myers began to battle back. Dillon Tatum and Carlos Aguiar led off the inning with doubles to make it 7-1. With one out, Misael Urbina singled past shortstop to plate Aguiar and cut the deficit to 7-2.
Still down by that margin in the seventh, Urbina smoked a double to the left field corner to make it 7-3. After a fly out advanced Urbina to third, Kala’i Rosario dropped a single into center to cut the margin to 7-4.
Bradenton battled back in the top of the eighth when Jase Bowen clobbered a two-run homer to left to extend the lead to 9-4.
The Mussels weren’t done though. Tatum walked in the bottom of the eighth before Aguiar crushed a two-run homer off the batter’s eye in center.
However, Fort Myers couldn’t score in the ninth and Bradenton hung on to take the lead in the series.
Cespedes’ clutch hits not enough in 4-3 extra-inning loss
FORT MYERS – Rubel Cespedes delivered a pair of clutch hits late in the game Friday, but the Bradenton Marauders beat the Mighty Mussels 4-3 in 10 innings at Hammond Stadium.
Fort Myers (55-41, 14-18) trailed 2-1 entering the bottom of the eighth. Noah Miller led off the inning by reaching second base on a fielding error. After a groundout moved him to third, Cespedes came to the plate with two outs. On the first pitch of the at bat, he lined a base hit into center field to make it 2-2.
After neither team could score in the ninth, Bradenton started the 10th with a bang. Juan Jerez cranked an RBI double to center to put the Marauders on top 3-2. Jerez then stole third before advancing home on a throwing error to make it 4-2.
Trailing by two in the bottom of the tenth, Cespedes once again came to the plate with two outs. With a runner on second, he sliced an RBI double to the wall in left center to cut the deficit to 4-3. However, LaRon Smith grounded out to end the game and seal the Bradenton win.
Mighty Mussels pitcher Johnathan Lavallee was outstanding in his first Low-A start, tossing four hitless innings on just 48 pitches. He struck out two and walked one.
Niklas Rimmel also turned in scoreless work, not allowing a single hit over two innings of relief.