Tinney’s second homer of the night lifts Mussels over Threshers, 6-5
Walk-off blast gives team fourth straight win
FORT MYERS – Carson Tinney hit a pair of two-run home runs, including a walk-off blast, as the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels defeated the Clearwater Threshers by a final score of 6-5 Tuesday night at Lee Health Sports Complex.
With one out in the ninth inning, trailing by a run, Vahn Lackey slapped his first professional triple down the right-field line. Two pitches later, Tinney launched his second home run of the night, lifting Fort Myers (60-48, 23-20) over Clearwater (63-45, 23-19).
“I’m really just focusing on getting the barrel to the ball,” Tinney said post-game. “For me, it was about not trying to do too much….I was just trying to do what I do.”
Tinney recorded his first professional multi-homer game as well as his first walk-off home run on the night. He leads all Minnesota Twins’ draftees with three home runs since making his debut on July 29.
“It’s been awesome,” Tinney said of his time in Fort Myers. “It’s been a lot of fun to work with the coaching staff here, I think I have learned and grown a lot. I am really happy to be with the Twins.”
Tinney said post-game that he broke his bat on the swing, the first time he has ever homered with broken lumber.
Between Lackey and Tinney, Minnesota’s top two draft picks last month, they have combined for six extra-base hits and .438 OBP in 20 games.
“He’s been really fun to learn from,” Tinney said of his draft classmate Lackey. “He’s elite at what he does…. He’s a great human being. It’s been a lot of fun to get to know him and become friends with him.”
Fort Myers has now tallied seven walk-off wins this season, with Wednesday night’s marking the fifth walk-off home run.
The Mighty Mussels also tied the 2025 club for the most stolen bases in franchise history, notching four steals to get to 236 on the season. Prior to last season, the franchise had never swiped more than 200 bags in a season.
Fort Myers sent Eric Hammond to the mound to make his seventh start and 22nd appearance of the season.
After a scoreless first inning, Hammond allowed three runs in the second thanks to three consecutive Threshers reaching with two outs. Cade Climie had the two-run single to cap the inning.
Fort Myers got two runs back in the third. After Lackey reached on a two out error, Tinney blasted his second homer of the season to left, making it 3-2.
Hammond’s night was done after four innings, matching a season-high for the third time. He struck out five and retired the final four batters he faced.
Melvin Rodriguez made his Hammond Stadium debut in the fifth and worked around a pair of walks to hold the deficit.
In the bottom of the fifth. Bryce Fowler poked a two-out, game-tying single to right field to score Tinney and knot the game at three.
Rodriguez induced three groundball outs in the sixth to complete two scoreless frames.
Nick McAuliffe took over in the seventh and struck out three Threshers over two clean innings.
After leading off the eighth with a single, Ramiro Dominguez recorded stolen base No. 236 to move into scoring position. He later came around to score on an infield hit by Bryan Acuna, giving Fort Myers its first lead of the evening at 4-3.
Michael Hilker Jr. (6-2) relieved McAuliffe in the ninth. A leadoff walk ended a streak of 10 consecutive Threshers retired by Mussels’ pitching. Hilker allowed three consecutive hits with one out, and Clearwater retook the lead at 5-4.
Tinney’s second home run of the night won the game 6-5 for Fort Myers. It was the fifth multi-homer game by a Mussel this season.
The Mighty Mussels have won the first two games of a homestand for the first time this season. Fort Myers has won four consecutive games and sits four games back of Tampa for first place in the FSL West 2nd Half Standings.
The series continues today, August 13. Matt Barr (6.52) starts for the Mussels, opposite Sean Youngerman (5.11). First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. with coverage beginning at 6:40 p.m. on the Mighty Mussels Baseball Network.
Fort Myers’ pitching stymies Clear