Winokur Delivers Walk Off Blast To Beat Threshers 9-7 In Extras

FORT MYERS, Fla. (August 27, 2024) – After a back and forth night of baseball to preview a possible playoff matchup, Brandon Winokur blasted the first pitch of the bottom of the 10th inning onto the left field berm to give the Mighty Mussels a thrilling 9-7 victory over the Clearwater Threshers at Hammond Stadium.

It was the Mussels’ (64-52, 33-18) sixth walk off of the season and the first since Winokur had a walk-off hit-by-pitch June 14 against Lakeland. It was the first walk-off homer for the Mussels since Jose Rodriguez had a walk-off grand slam on May 7. The home run was Winokur’s 13th of the season, matching Rubel Cespedes for the Mussels’ era single season record (since 2021).

Fort Myers set season highs in home runs with four and total hits with 14 in the back and forth contest.

Rehabber Kala’i Rosario connected on two home runs in his first game since June 9 with the Wichita Wind Surge.

In the bottom of the second in a scoreless game, Khadim Diaw doubled to center with one out. Jaime Ferrer followed with a single to set up first and third. The next batter was Daniel Pena, who delivered a sacrifice fly to center to make it a 1-0 game.

In the next inning, Rosario crushed his first homer of the day (109.6 mph off the bat) to extend the lead 3-0. Three pitches later, Billy Amick followed with a 110.7 mph shot that traveled 416 feet onto the left field berm to make it 4-0.

Still leading by that score in the fourth, Angel Del Rosario and Winokur each reached on singles to set up first and third with two outs. The Mussels executed a double steal to tack on another run and move ahead 5-0.

Cesar Lares could not maintain the lead in the fifth. After four shutout frames to start his outing, Clearwater (58-61, 15-38) manufactured five runs (one earned) on four hits and sent 11 men to plate, tying the game 5-5.

Fort Myers responded in the bottom of the frame and retook the lead on an opposite field single from Del Rosario, making it a 6-5 game.

Logan Whitaker became the first 2024 Twins draftee to debut on the mound and allowed two unearned runs on three hits across two innings while striking out two.

The Threshers would force another tie the following inning on a Mussels error, as Raider Tello scored from third on an errant pickoff throw to make it a 6-6 game. Clearwater took its first lead in the seventh, scoring another unearned run to go ahead 7-6.

Leading off the bottom of the eighth, Rosario tied the game 7-7 with his second homer of the game as he sent a 400 foot blast into the berm with a 103.7 mph exit velocity.

Wilker Reyes (6-2) was outstanding in relief, covering the final three innings while giving up just one hit and striking out two. Reyes retired the side in order in the top of the tenth by inducing a pair of infield pop-ups and a ground out.

Winokur then crushed the first pitch of the bottom of the inning from Titan Hayes (0-1) onto the berm to give Fort Myers its second extra-innings walkoff of the season.

The Mussels return to action on Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. Twins No. 11 prospect Charlee Soto (1-5, 4.86) starts for Fort Myers, opposite Sam Highfill (0-0, 27.00) of Clearwater. Coverage begins at 6:45 p.m. on the Mighty Mussels Baseball Network.