Mussels edge Cards in 11-inning battle
The Fort Myers Mighty Mussels scored a run in the top of the 11th inning Wednesday night and then held on to defeat the host Palm Beach Cardinals, 6-5, at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.
With the game tied 5-5 going into the 11th, the Mussels (59-47) started the frame with Dillon Tatum at second base, per the new extra inning rule in MLB Minor League play. Misael Urbina then walked and one batter later, Tanner Schobel plated the winning run with a single to center.
The Cards (54-54) started with a runner on second in the bottom of the 11th, who advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt, but the runner was later thrown out at the plate on a ground ball to shortstop Noah Miller.
The Cards’ R.J. Yeager sent the game into extra innings, hitting a home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to erase a 5-4 Mussels’ lead.
Ben Ross and Urbina both hit home runs earlier in the game to help lead the Mussels’ nine-hit attack. Noah Cardenas and Rubel Cespedes (2B) both contributed two hits.
Jackson Hicks (4-2) picked up the win in relief, tossing 3.1 innings and allowing just one run on one hit.
The two teams play again tonight with games set for Friday and Saturday with a matinee Sunday to wrap up the series.