Sprock’s hitting streak reaches 16 in series opening loss to St. Lucie
FORT MYERS – The Fort Myers Mighty Mussels were defeated by the St. Lucie Mets by a final score of 6-2 Tuesday evening at Lee Health Sports Complex.
Catcher Ryan Sprock extended his hitting streak to 16 games with a leadoff single in the first inning. The knock moved Sprock into a four-way tie for the third longest hitting streak in franchise history (tracked since 2005), matching the total of Alex Swim (2016), Jorge Polanco (2014) and Brock Peterson (2005).
His 25 hits during the streak are second in that quartet, behind Swim’s 30 hits. The 16-game hitting streak is the second longest streak of the Mussels’ era (since 2020) and the longest hitting streak by a Minnesota Twins’ Minor Leaguer this season.
Sprock reached base four times tonight, bringing his OBP to .436, which is best in the Florida State League and seventh in all of Single-A. His batting average now sits at .314, second-best among active players in the FSL.
Fort Myers (39-30, 2-2) sent Justin Mitrovich (1-2) to the mound to make his ninth start of the season. Following a two-out error by third baseman Harry Genth, Mitrovich gave up a run-scoring double to put the Mets (35-34, 2-1) on the board.
The Mighty Mussels loaded the bases in the bottom of the second, but Merphy Hernandez grounded into a 1-2-3 double play to squander the scoring opportunity.
In the top of the third inning, St. Lucie center fielder Trey Snyder singled, stole two bases and scored on a throwing error by Sprock to double the Mets’ lead.
Fort Myers once again failed to score on a bases loaded scenario with Hernandez at the plate, who flew out to end the fourth inning.
The Mets added to their lead in both the fifth and sixth innings, with the run in the sixth coming off Triple-A rehabber Eduardo Salazar to put St. Lucie on top 4-0.
Fort Myers got on the board in the sixth against Zack Mack (2-0), when Jayson Bass led off with a walk and later scored on a double play.
In the seventh, the Mets scored another pair of runs off of Eric Hammond to make it 6-1. The Mussels got a run back in the bottom of the frame, moving the score to 6-2.
Brent Francisco worked a clean ninth inning, the only 1-2-3 inning by Mussel pitching tonight, but Fort Myers fell in their first home game of the second half.
The Mussels’ streak of 10 consecutive games with a home run came to an end, closing the second longest streak for the franchise since tracking began in 2005. The offense did continue its streak of consecutive games with an extra-base hit, moving it to 21 games, the longest active streak in the FSL.
Fort Myers is now 0-7 at home in series openers, despite being 19-14 overall at Hammond Stadium. They were 0-for-11 with RISP and left 11 men on base tonight.
The series continues today, June 24. Fort Myers will send Kolten Smith (5.56) to the mound, St. Lucie will counter with Mets No. 27 prospect Cam Tilly (4.56). First pitch is set for 12:05 p.m. with coverage beginning at 11:45 a.m. on the Mighty Mussels Baseball Network.