Young’s walk-off blast lifts Mussels over Mets
Sprock's hitting streak up to 18 games
FORT MYERS – The Fort Myers Mighty Mussels walked-off the St. Lucie Mets by a final score of 7-6 Thursday evening at Lee Health Sports Complex. The Mussels are now a season-high 11 games above .500.
Minnesota Twins No. 14 prospect Quentin Young hit a walk-off solo home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to win the game. Young’s ninth home run travelled to left-center field at 108.1 mph and bounced its way completely out of Hammond Stadium.
“You never know what’s going to happen,” the 19-year-old Young said. “Just stay ready, stay composed and be ready to go.”
It is Fort Myers’ (41-30, 4-2) fourth walk-off of the season and their third walk-off home run. The Mussels have had one walk-off in each of their last three homestands, dating back to late-May.
Ryan Sprock extended his historic hitting streak to 18 games with a two-run go-ahead single in the fourth inning. He sits one game behind Mike Gonzalez for second on the all-time list. Gonzalez hit safely in 19 consecutive games in 2014. Sprock has totaled 29 hits during his streak while batting .446 with a 1.237 OPS. The 29 hits by Sprock has already eclipsed the 27 from Gonzalez during his streak.
With one out in the first, Ramiro Dominguez reached on an error. Jayson Bass followed with a single to set up first and third. The duo then executed a double steal to make it 1-0. Later in the frame, Luis Fragoza doubled to left-center to make it 2-0
Fort Myers sent Ramiro Villanueva to the mound to make his team-leading 10th start of the season. The 20-year-old righty cruised through the first three innings, facing the minimum on just 27 pitches. St. Lucie (35-36, 2-3) got to Villanueva in the third. Bronny De Oleo led off with a bunt single. Villanueva then struck out the next two batters. The Mets took the lead on three consecutive two out hits, going ahead 3-2.
The Mussels responded in their half of the third. The first four batters reached on a single, two hit by pitches, and a bases loaded walk to Merphy Hernandez, tying the game 3-3 and flipping the lineup over to Sprock. The Fort Myers’ catcher connected on his streak-extending single, picking up two RBI while Hernandez also scored on an error at the end of the play to make it 6-3.
Villanueva exited after a season high five innings. He allowed three runs and struck out four Mets.
Callan Fang relieved Villanueva in the sixth inning and registered bookend strikeouts to retire the side in order.
After another 1-2-3 inning in the seventh, Fang allowed back-to-back baserunners to begin the eighth. The Mets played small ball to manufacture one run, cutting Fort Myers’ lead to 6-4.
Nick McAuliffe (1-0) allowed a two-out, two-run single to tie the game after the Mussels intentionally walked a man to load the bases.
Young’s blast off of Miguel Mejias (3-2) won the game for Fort Myers in the bottom of the ninth inning.
The series continues today, June 26. Fort Myers will send Jason Reitz (2.63) to the mound, St. Lucie will counter with Jonathan Jimenez (5.14). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. with coverage beginning at 6:40 p.m. on the Mighty Mussels Baseball Network.