Tinney homers for third straight game, Mighty Mussels take opener over Marauders
FORT MYERS – Carson Tinney homered in his third consecutive game and Merphy Hernandez climbed the all-time steals list as the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels defeated the Bradenton Marauders 5-3 Tuesday night at Lee Health Sports Complex.
Fort Myers’ (65-54, 28-26) pitching struck out a combined 16 Bradenton Marauders (51-66, 20-33) on the night, one off of their season-high, which came on April 28 against Daytona.
The Mighty Mussels got going right away in the bottom of the first courtesy of Hernandez. After drawing a leadoff walk, he stole his 43rd base of the season, passing Matt Lawton III (1994) for fourth in a single season in franchise history (since 1992). Hernandez took third on a throwing error during the steal, then scored on a balk, all of which happened before a second pitch was thrown to the next hitter.
Hernandez added another steal in the fifth, tying Cleatus Davidson (1998) for third in the franchise’s record books. Since being added to the roster on May 21, Hernandez has the most steals in the Florida State League. During that time frame, he is tied for the third-most steals across all full-season MiLB affiliates while playing at least 15 games fewer than each player ahead of him.
Fort Myers sent Matt Barr to the mound to make his sixth start of the season with the Mussels.
Barr faced the minimum in the second, aided by an outfield assist from Yovanny Duran, who threw out a runner trying to stretch a single to a double.
Barr, a 20-year-old righty, put together his best outing as a pro, working four innings and allowing just one run. He matched a season-high with five strikeouts without issuing a walk. He exited with the game tied 1-1.
Nick McAuliffe (4-2) took over in the fifth and struck out the side while stranded two Marauders in scoring position.
In the bottom of the frame, Tinney connected on his seventh home run in 17 games as a pro, lacing a 111.9 mph line drive onto the left field berm. Tinney now has four home runs in his last five games.
It is also his third consecutive game with a homer run, marking the 18th time in franchise history (tracked since 2005) that a Fort Myers’ player has homered in three straight games. It is the second time that has happened this season, with JP Smith II doing so in May. The franchise record is four straight games with a home run, set by Andrew Cossetti in 2023.
Brad Rudis took over in the sixth inning and struck out the side, working around a leadoff walk.
Colby Turner demolished his second professional home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to make the score 3-1. His solo homer travelled 435 feet over the left field berm, making it the third longest home run of the season for the Mussels (Quentin Young/Luis Fragoza, 437 feet).
In the seventh, Tinney caught two would-be base stealers vying for second base. Bradenton made four outs on the bases tonight.
Rudis was relieved with one out in the top of the eighth inning. He struck out five Marauders over 2.1 scoreless frames. Adam Falinski (S5) took over and fanned both men he faced.
After Isaiah Lane walked and Turner roped a double, the Mussels added key insurance in the bottom of the eighth. Ramiro Dominguez poked a two-run single to left-center field to double the lead at 5-1.
Falinski gave up a pair of runs in the ninth but held on for the win.
The series continues with a doubleheader tosday, Aug. 26. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 4:35 p.m. with coverage beginning at 4:15 p.m. on the Mighty Mussels Baseball Network. Game two will begin no earlier than 7:05 p.m. Both contests will be seven innings.