Moring enters record books but Mussels fall 8-7 in extras
BRADENTON, Fla. – Reed Moring continued his historic streak without allowing an earned run and Quentin Young drove in three runs as the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels fell to the Bradenton Marauders 8-7 in 10 innings Tuesday night at LECOM Park.
Henry Kusiak and Young each totaled three hits on the night as the Mussels (19-15) came up a run short in a back-and-forth contest to open a 12-game road trip. Fort Myers is now 2-1 in extra-inning games.
In the top of the second, Young pulled a base hit to left, plating Ramiro Dominguez who had doubled two batters earlier. Bradenton (19-15) responded with a run in the bottom of the frame off of Mussels’ starter Moring to tie the game 1-1.
Moring went three innings, and the lone run against him was unearned, keeping his season ERA at 0.00 in 19.1innings of work. The scoreless streak is the fifth longest in franchise history, with only four players going 20+ innings since the MLB research tool began tracking such stats in 2005. The all-time record in Sam Clay (33 innings in 2017) and the Mussels’ era record (since 2020) is held by Osiris German (20.2 innings in 2021) putting Morning in second place since the franchise moved to the Single-A level.
Bradenton took its first lead in the fourth on a double from Cristian Jaruegui off of Matthew DesMarets. The Marauders plated another pair of runs off of DesMarets in the fifth, making it 4-1. Only one of the three runs was earned.
In the sixth, Young connected on his third home run of the season as he put a two-run blast over the fence in left-center. It is the first pull side homer of his career. New addition Quinn McDaniel followed with a single and then Harry Genth drove him in on a double down the left field line to tie the game 4-4. A fielder’s choice off the bat of Bruin Agbayani put Fort Myers back in front 5-4 and Henry Kusiak doubled in Agbayani to extend the lead 6-4.
In the eighth, Carlos Caro connected on a two-run home run off of Brian Zeldin to tie the game 6-6.
With one out in the top of the 10th, McDaniel delivered a sacrifice fly to center to give Fort Myers its third lead 7-6.
In the bottom of the 10th, Edgleen Perez tied the game with a single and Caro followed with a walk off base-hit two batters later off of Michael Hilker Jr. (2-1).
The series continues tosday, May 13. Merit Jones (2.63) starts for the Mussels. First pitch is set for 6:30.