Tinney homers again, Mussels win weather shortened game, 5-2
JUPITER – Carson Tinney homered for the second consecutive game, and third time this week, as the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels beat the Palm Beach Cardinals 5-2 in a rain shortened game Saturday night at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.
Tinney connected on a two-run home run in the seventh inning, giving him six homers in 16 games since debuting and three homers in four games this week. Since his first game on July 30, the Minnesota Twins’ No. 10 prospect is tied for the second most home runs in all of Single-A. Tinney’s .500 slugging percentage and 1.633 OPS both lead the Florida State League and are good for sole possession of second place in Single-A over that time.
Tinney reached base four times again tonight, falling a triple shy of the cycle. Over his last two games, Tinney has reached safely in eight of his nine trips to the plate.
The contest was twice interrupted by weather. The initial delay, which lasted just over an hour, began in the bottom of the third inning due to lightning. The second weather delay happened after the seventh inning, and lasted a little over a half hour before the decision was made to complete the game early.
Palm Beach (59-60, 26-27) opened the scoring in the first, without the benefit of a hit against Mussels’ (64-53, 27-25) starter Callan Fang. Fang hit two batters and walked two more in the frame, but stranded the bases loaded to limit the damage. The righty threw just 11 strikes on 25 pitches in the inning.
Fang rebounded in the second, retiring the side in order on 15 pitches, 10 of which were strikes.
Fort Myers went quietly in the third before the first weather delay knocked out both starting pitchers. Jackson Sleeper entered when play resumed, and promptly gave up a leadoff homer to Ryan Mitchell, making it 2-0.
In the top of the fourth, Tinney connected on a 107.9 mph double down the left field line, giving Fort Myers its first hit of the night. Aidan Teel followed with a single to center to make it 2-1.
After Tinney singled and picked up his first career steal in the sixth, Isaiah Lane tied the game on a sacrifice fly.
In the seventh, Fort Myers beat the lighting with two big swings at the plate. Colby Turner singled to give the Mussels their first lead and Tinney followed with a two-run homer to make it 5-2.
Nic McAuliffe (3-2) and Brian Strange did not allow a hit over the final 3.1 innings, while combining for five strikeouts.
The series concludes today, Aug. 23. First pitch is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. There will not be an audio broadcast on the Mighty Mussels Baseball Network.