Salas’ six RBI day powers Mussels past Threshers, 10-1

Apr 28, 2025 7 min read

CLEARWATER – The Fort Myers Mighty Mussels exploded for 10 runs across the first three innings on Sunday afternoon, as they defeated the Clearwater Threshers 10-1 at BayCare Ballpark.

The Mussels (12-9) have now won back-to-back series and sit in a tie with the Dunedin Blue Jays atop the FSL West standings. Fort Myers recorded its largest margin of victory of the season in the win, while outscoring the Threshers (11-10) 34-18 over the six-game set.

The Mussel offense ambushed Thresher starter Sam Highlfill (1-2) right out of the gate, scoring three runs on the first six pitches of the game. Byron Chourio led off with a triple into the left-center gap. Jose Salas followed with a single through the right side to bring Chourio home. Jay Thomason then blasted the first pitch he saw into the right field berm, making it 3-0 on his team leading fifth home run of the season. Chourio has now reached base safely in 12 of 18 plate appearances leading off games, while extending his on base streak to 18 games. 

Fort Myers tacked on another two runs in the second. Maddux Houghton scored on a wild pitch and Salas brought home Peyton Carr on a sacrifice fly to extend the lead 5-0. Clearwater got a run back in the bottom of the frame as Raider Tello connected on an opposite field homer, making it  5-1. 

In the third, Miguel Briceno and Yohander Martinez reached on a fielder’s choice and a walk to set up first and second with one out. Houghton then singled to right, bringing Briceno home and making it 6-1. Later in the frame, Salas blasted an 0-2 hanging changeup over the right field wall for the first grand slam of the season for the Mussels, blowing the game open. 

The Mussels matched a season high in runs with 10, in just three innings of play. Salas finished his day with six RBI, the most in a game for a Mussel hitter this season. 

Fort Myers needed just three pitchers to secure the win, as Michael Carpenter, Zander Sechrist (1-0), and Devin Kirby (S1), each threw three strong innings. They combined to allow just four hits while punching out seven Threshers. 

All nine Mussel starters reached base safely by the sixth inning, with eight of nine reaching base by the fourth. 

The Mussels return to action Tuesday, April 29, for the start of a three game home series against the Jupiter Hammerheads. First pitch at the Lee Health Sports Complex is set for 6:05 p.m. with coverage beginning at 5:45 p.m. on the Mighty Mussels Baseball Network.  

Fort Myers topped Clearwater 5-3 Saturday

CLEARWATER, Fla. – The Fort Myers Mighty Mussels defeated the Clearwater Threshers 5-3 Saturday night at BayCare Ballpark, moving into a tie for first place in the FSL West Standings.

At the end of the day, Fort Myers, Clearwater (11-9) and the Dunedin Blue Jays (11-9) sat in a tie for first in the Western Division.  

Mussels’ starter Dasan Hill was excellent in his third start of the season. He tossed 3.1 scoreless  innings and struck out a season high eight batters, which included a stretch of five consecutive strikeouts. The only hit he allowed was an infield single. Hill touched 98 MPH on the radar gun for the first time this season. 

Third baseman Yohander Martinez opened the scoring with a solo homer in the third, his first of the season, to make it 1-0. 

The Mussels added to their lead in an unorthodox way in the fourth. With two outs in the inning, walks to Angel Del Rosario and Maddux Houghton put two aboard. Both men stole bases to set up second and third. Peyton Carr struck out for what should have been the third out of the frame, but Thresher catcher Eduardo Tait missed the pitch. Tait then made a throwing error as he attempted to get Carr at first, and both Del Rosario and Houghton crossed the plate to make it 3-0. 

Clearwater got on the board in the fifth on an RBI single from Diego Gonzalez, making it 3-1.

The Mussels extended their lead in the sixth when the offense strung together three consecutive hits with two outs. Del Rosario tripled into the right center gap and then came in to score on an infield single from Houghton. Carr followed with a double down the right field line, making it 5-1. 

The Threshers closed the gap in the seventh off reliever Jakob Hall (1-0). Avery Owusu Asiedu led off the frame with a double. He scored two hitters later on a sacrifice fly from Dante Nori, making it 5-2. Later in the frame, Griffin Burkholder singled through the left side of the infield, bringing home Aroon Escobar, and making it 5-3.

Hall limited the damage to three runs (two earned) across 3.2 innings of work. Kade Bragg worked a 1-2-3 eighth inning and Ivran Romero spun a clean ninth to earn his second save of the season.

This was the first win of the season in which the Mussels were outhit by their opponent and the first win when the defense committed three errors or more. 

Mussels fall in walk-off fashion to Threshers, 4-3

CLEARWATER, Fla. – The Clearwater Threshers defeated the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels 4-3 on a walk-off single from Raider Tello Friday night at BayCare Ballpark.

With the win, the Threshers (11-8) held a one game lead over the Mussels (10-8) in the FSL West standings with the series now tied at two games apiece. 

Tied 3-3 in the bottom of the ninth, Brady Day reached on an infield single to open the frame. He advanced to second on a wild pitch from Hunter Hoopes (0-3). A flyout and a walk set up first and second for Raider Tello. He then drove an 0-2 offering from Hoopes to deep right field and Jose Rodriguez was unable to make the catch on the warning track as Fort Myers suffered a walk-off loss for the second time this season. 

Fort Myers jumped ahead early on Thresher starter Zack Tukis in the first. Byron Chourio reached on a walk to start the game, extending his on base streak to 17 games. It was also the 11th time Chourio has reached base safely to start a game. Jose Salas followed with a single through the right side of the infield. Yasser Mercedes then walked to load the bases. Rodriguez opened the scoring with a sacrifice fly to left field. Mercedes then stole second and Salas came in to score on a throwing error by Thresher catcher Guillermo Rosario to make it 2-0. 

Mussels starter Cole Peschl dominated in his third appearance of the season. He struck out a season high nine batters while throwing five scoreless innings for the second outing in a row. His 80 pitches matched the most by a Mussels pitcher this season, tying the mark set by Eli Jones earlier this month. Peschl has now thrown 14 innings without allowing an earned run to start his career. 

Still leading 2-0 in the sixth, Jay Thomason shot an opposite field double into the left-center gap to lead off the frame. Two batters later, Jefferson Valladares singled through the left side of the infield to make it 3-0 Fort Myers. 

Clearwater opened their scoring in the seventh off of Tyler Stasiowski. Kody Shojinaga led off the frame with a triple into the right field corner. He then came in to score on a sacrifice fly from Carter Mathison, making it 3-1. The Threshers then tied the game in the eighth after their offense recorded three straight hits to open the frame. Avery Owusu-Asiedu scored on an RBI double from Eduardo Tait and Dante Nori crossed the plate on a wild pitch from Liam Rocha, making it 3-3. 

Mercedes ended the night with four stolen bases, the most by a Mussel this season. Salas and Miguel Briceno each added a steal as Fort Myers swiped a season high six bags in the loss.