Mighty Mussels, Blue Jays split doubleheader
Dunedin, Fla. — The Fort Myers Mighty Mussels and Dunedin Blue Jays split their doubleheader Wednesday at TD Ballpark, with Fort Myers taking game one 5-1 and Dunedin taking game two 3-1.
Both contests of the doubleheader were closely contested, as the trailing team brought the tying run to the plate in the sixth or seventh inning of the seven-inning contests.
Dunedin (57-61, 23-30) ambushed Mussels’ (47-70, 20-33) starter Christian Becerra (3-2) to begin the twin billing, when Austin Smith connected on a leadoff homer in the bottom of the first. That spark was all Dunedin would muster in game one.
Fort Myers answered back in the second inning, when Damuery Pena, Peyton Carr and Yasser Mercedes all connected on doubles. Byran Acuna capped the frame with a single to make it 3-1 Mussels.
Becerra settled in and retired 10 Blue Jays in a row from the second to the fifth inning. He worked five strong frames, allowing one run on four hits while picking up three strikeouts. Becerra didn’t issue a walk and threw 46 of his 65 pitches for strikes.
The Mussels added a run in the third and the fourth innings on singles from Carr and Jacob McCombs to extend their lead 5-1.
Dylan Questad entered from the bullpen for the sixth inning. A Mussels error allowed the leadoff man to reach. A walk to Kendry Chirinos and a swinging bunt infield single from Brock Tibbitts loaded the bases with two outs. With the tying run at the plate, Questad induced a fly out from Eric Snow to escape the jam. It was the first time since the first inning that Dunedin had more than one batter reach base.
Questad worked a clean seventh to give the Mussels a 5-1 win in the series opener.
Dunedin opened the scoring again in game two of the doubleheader, as Jean Joseph doubled in a pair of runs. The Blue Jays took advantage of two Mussel errors in the frame to take a 2-0 lead.
The D-Jays added a run in the bottom of the third, as Austin Smith doubled and later scored on a balk by starter Michael Ross (4-6) to extend the margin to 3-0.
Ross tossed three complete innings and allowed three runs (one earned) on two hits. The righty walked one and struck out a pair.
Jason Doktorcyzk entered in the fourth and finished the contest for Fort Myers. He fired three scoreless innings and allowed five hits, while striking out five.
Mercedes’ ground-rule double in the bottom of the sixth inning plated Dameury Pena for the lone Mussel run of the game. It was the 40th RBI of the year for Mercedes and cut the deficit to 3-1, where the score would finish.
The final road series of the regular season continues today at 6:30 p.m. at TD Ballpark. Eli Jones (2-10, 5.68) will toe the rubber for Fort Myers, opposite Landen Maroudis (1-6, 6.00) for Dunedin. Coverage begins at 6:15 p.m. on the Mighty Mussels Baseball Network.