Mighty Mussels bash three homers, end Flying Tigers win streak with 5-4 victory in extras
Lakeland, Fla. — The Fort Myers Mighty Mussels survived a late comeback from the Lakeland Flying Tigers and picked up a 5-4 win in 10 innings at Joker Marchant Stadium on Thursday evening.
The Mussels’ (40-51, 12-13) victory snapped an eight game win streak for Lakeland (58-31, 20-5). It was also the Flying Tigers first loss at home in the second half of the season, as they are now 13-1 at Publix Field. Fort Myers improved to 7-1 in extra inning games.
Fort Myers carried a 4-2 lead into the bottom of the ninth, but a pair of walks from Tyler Stasiowski (2-0) put the tying run aboard. Lakeland catcher Ricardo Hurtado then doubled into the left-center gap, plating both runners and tying the game 4-4.
With two outs in the top of the 10th, Blaze O’Saben shot an opposite field single to right, plating auto-runner Bryan Acuna and putting Fort Myers in front 5-4. The hit was the third of the night for the Mussel outfielder, and marked his third three hit game of the season.
Ivran Romero (S4) came on for the bottom of the frame. He issued a pair of walks and worked into a bases loaded jam with one out. Romero buckled down, and induced a strikeout of Enderson Delgado for the second out. Zach MacDonald then lined out to center to end the game with the tying run in scoring position and the winning run on first.
With one out in the first, Yasser Mercedes delivered a line drive home run to give the Mussels a 1-0 lead. The blast was the sixth of the year for the Twins’ No. 19 prospect, and left his bat at 103.2 mph.
Lakeland evened the score in the bottom of the first on a single from Junior Tillien. The Flying Tigers plated an unearned run in the first inning for the second straight night due to an error by Damuery Pena that extended the frame.
Fort Myers’ starter Adrian Bohorquez settled in during the middle frames. He retired 10 of the final 11 batters he faced, including eight in a row from the second to the fourth inning. Bohorquez exited after four innings of work. The lone run against him was unearned, and the Twins’ No. 27 prospect has now thrown 16 innings in July without allowing an earned run. He topped out at 97.9 mph and induced six whiffs in his outing.
In the top of the fifth, Dameury Pena pulled a solo shot onto the left field berm to make it 2-1. The homer was the sixth of the season for Minnesota’s No. 24 prospect.
Flying Tigers starter Lucas Ellisalt went five innings and struck out five. The only two hits he allowed were the homers to Mercedes and Damuery Pena.
Zander Sechrist took over for the Mussels in the fifth. The lefty worked in and out of trouble as he left the bases loaded and kept the Mussels in front 2-1.
In the bottom of the sixth, O’Saben connected on a single to center with two outs. A walk to Yohander Martinez moved him into scoring position. Jose Rodriguez then pulled a base hit to left (EV 111.9 mph), plating O’Saben and extending the lead 3-1.
In the eighth, O’Saben added a solo shot of his own. It was his first home run in a Mussels’ uniform and the third solo blast of the night for the Fort Myers offense. His homer clanked off the foul pole down the left field line to make it 4-1.
Lakeland scored a run in the bottom of the frame to close the gap before tying the game in the ninth.
The Mussels return home to the Lee Health Sports Complex today for the second half of the road/home series. Jason Doktorczyk (3-4, 4.81) starts for the Mussels. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. with coverage beginning at 6:45 p.m. on the Mighty Mussels Baseball Network.