Mussels master Mets in 8-3 Sunday Victory

FORT MYERS – Kyle Schmidt finished a double shy of the cycle Sunday as the Mussels snapped their three-game losing streak with an 8-3 win over the St. Lucie Mets at Hammond Stadium.

Schmidt matched a career-high, driving in five runs for the third time in his professional career. The Mussels’ (28-23) catcher was hit by a pitch in the eighth during his fourth and final plate appearance as he bid for a cycle-clinching double. He finished the series 5-for-9.

Trailing 1-0 in the bottom half of the inning, Mussels infielder Rubel Cespedes doubled before Alec Sayre walked to place two runners on with one out. The next hitter was Schmidt, who blasted a towering three-run homer over the berm in left. The dinger traveled 396 feet and gave the Mussels a 3-1 lead.

With the same score in the bottom of the third, the Mussels loaded the bases on two hits and one walk to open the inning. After Rafael Cruz struck out, Cespedes tapped a soft grounder to first that forced a wild throw to home which scored Major-League rehabber Gilberto Celestino from third. Two hitters later, Schmidt looped a single to shallow center that scored both Mikey Perez and Cespedes to extend the lead to 6-1.

After the Mets tacked on two more runs in the top of the fifth and sixth innings, the Mussels rallied for more in the bottom of the sixth. Schmidt led off with a triple past the diving attempt of Mets right fielder Yeral Martinez. Luis Baez followed with an RBI double down the left-field line to extend the Fort Myers lead to 7-3. With two outs in the same inning, Baez scored on a wild pitch from St. Lucie reliever Christopher Vasquez to extend the lead to 8-3.

Mussels’ reliever A.J. Labas closed out the ballgame, tossing a scoreless ninth with two strikeouts, securing the series split.

The Mussels enjoy an off-day today before they begin a six-game series with the FSL West-leading Clearwater Threshers. First pitch is slated for 7 p.m. on Tuesday at Hammond Stadium, with coverage beginning at 6:45 p.m. on the Mighty Mussels Baseball Network.

Mussels drop back-and-forth battle to Mets, 10-8

FORT MYERS – The MIghty Mussels dropped their third consecutive game Saturday by a score of 10-8 in a tug-of-war battle with the St. Lucie Mets at Hammond Stadium Saturday.

The Mets (16-33) became just the second team to score 10 or more runs against the Mussels (27-23) this season, and the first since Jupiter on April 23.

In a scoreless game in the bottom of the second, Rubel Cespedes worked a one-out walk. The next Mussels hitter was Dylan Neuse, who blasted a towering home run, that just brushed inside of the left-field foul pole to give the Mussels a 2-0 lead.

In the top of the third, the Mets Wilfredo Lara singled and Jett Williams walked with one out. Two batters later, Jacob Reimer scorched a double to deep right-center to bring home both runs and tie the game at two. Vincent Perozo followed with a double to the warning track in right that scored Reimer and gave the Mets a 3-2 lead.

In the bottom half of the same inning, Dillon Tatum singled, while Jorel Ortega and Carlos Aguiar worked walks to load the bases with one out. With a two-strike count, Rafael Cruz served a single to center that brought home two runs and gave Fort Myers a 4-3 lead. Aguiar advanced to third and then scored on a sacrifice fly from Cespedes on the following play.

In the top of the fourth, Kevin Villavicencio singled and Rhylan Thomas walked to place runners at first and second with one out. Lara followed with a single to left to score Villavicencio and cut the Fort Myers’ lead to 5-4.

After a fielder’s choice play advanced Thomas to third, reliever Samuel Perez balked to force in the tying run.

Tied in the bottom of the fourth, Alec Sayre walked and Tatum singled to open the frame. While the next three Mussels hitters couldn’t pick up a hit, Sayre scored after Mets reliever Jimmy Loper balked twice to make it 6-5 Mussels.

In the top of the seventh, Williams and Junior Tillien walked to put runners at first and second. Reimer followed with a scorching double down the left-field line to score Williams and tie the game at six. Two hitters later, Karell Paz poked a soft grounder into left field that scored both Tilien and Reimer to give the Mets an 8-6 advantage.

With the same score in the top of the eighth, Tilien notched an RBI double and Reimer singled in another run to extend the St. Lucie lead to 10-6.

In the bottom half of the same inning, Dylan Neuse singled and stole second base. Sayre followed with a base hit to right that scored Neuse to make it 10-7. The next Mussels hitter was Tatum, who seared a double down the left-field line that brought home Sayre and cut the deficit to two.

Mets reliever Luke Bartnicki then tossed a scoreless bottom of the ninth inning to slam the door and give the Mets the victory.

Mussels drop doubleheader to St. Lucie

FORT MYERS – The Mighty Mussels mounted a comeback in Game 2 Friday, but the St. Lucie Mets swept the doubleheader by scores of 1-0 and 9-4 at Hammond Stadium.

After four errors on the defensive end put Fort Myers (27-22) behind 6-0 in the third inning of Game 2, Mussels second baseman Mikey Perez roped a leadoff single to left center. The next batter was Rafael Cruz, who rocketed an RBI triple to the wall in right center to cut it to 6-1. Rubel Cespedes followed with a sacrifice fly to right to cut the margin to 6-2.

Still trailing by that margin in the bottom of the fifth, Cruz walked before Cespedes clubbed a two-run homer to the gap in deep right center to trim the margin to 6-4. The next two Mussels reached base before Joey Lancelloti came in to retire the next two batters and snuff out the threat.

In the top of the sixth, the Mets (15-33) plated three more thanks to a home run from Junior Tilien to cap the scoring at 9-4.

The Mussels received a strong pitching performance in Game 1 of the doubleheader but couldn’t muster any offense. Andrew Morris (1-1) spun five innings of one-run ball, with the lone run scoring on an infield single from Kevin Villavicenzio in the fourth. Gabriel Yanez tossed two scoreless frames to keep Fort Myers within one.

COMMENTS