Draftees make Hammond Stadium debut in 4-2 loss to Flying Tigers
FORT MYERS – Three 2022 draftees made their Hammond Stadium debuts Tuesday, but the Mighty Mussels couldn’t solve the Lakeland Flying Tigers’ relievers in a 4-2 loss at Hammond Stadium.
Noah Cardenas reached base four times in defeat, going 3-for-4 with a double and a walk. The UCLA product is now on a five-game hitting streak and is batting .362 in the month of August.
Mussels’ (61-50, 20-27) leadoff hitter Misael Urbina and Noah Miller walked to lead off the top of the first. Then with one out, Cardenas singled to left to put Fort Myers up 1-0.
In the top of the third with one out, Tigers (52-56, 24-23) right fielder Jose De La Cruz singled on a soft ground ball to third. Then with two outs, Manuel Sequera singled to center to tie the game at 1-1.
With one out in the bottom of the third, Cardenas doubled to left. After Kala’i Rosario reached on an error, Keoni Cavaco singled to right to take back the lead at 2-1 Fort Myers.
In the top of the fifth, Lakeland’s Danny Serretti doubled to center. The next batter was Peyton Graham, who singled to center to tie the game 2-2.
In the top of the seventh, Serretti doubled for the second time in the game for the Flying Tigers. Two batters later, Sequera doubled to drive in Serretti and take the lead 3-2. After advancing on a wild pitch, Sequera scored on an error to extend the lead to 4-2.
MLB rehabber Randy Dobnak pitched two scoreless innings, squandering just a double over the two frames. Jordan Carr (5-1) worked five innings giving up four runs, while fanning four. Niklas Rimmel tossed two scoreless frames to finish out the game.
The Mighty Mussels look to get back in the win column Wednesday. Coverage of the doubleheader begins at 4:15 p.m. on the Mighty Mussels Baseball Network.