Winokur, Soto Lead Mussels to 10-2 Victory in Jupiter

August 8, 2024

JUPITER, Fla. (August 7, 2024) – Brandon Winokur led an eight-run rally in the first inning and Charlee Soto spun five scoreless frames to lead the Mighty Mussels to a 10-2 victory over the Jupiter Hammerheads Wednesday at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Winokur finished 3-for-5 with a home run and

JUPITER, Fla. (August 7, 2024) – Brandon Winokur led an eight-run rally in the first inning and Charlee Soto spun five scoreless frames to lead the Mighty Mussels to a 10-2 victory over the Jupiter Hammerheads Wednesday at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.

Winokur finished 3-for-5 with a home run and two RBI, matching Rixon Wingrove for the team lead in dingers with eight. He recorded three triple-digit exit velocities on balls in play, narrowly missing a second home run in the third inning.

Soto (1-4) matched a career high with five innings pitched, facing the minimum 15 batters. He needed only 45 pitches (32 strikes) to get through five, allowing just one hit. His performance earned him his first professional win.

Winokur put Fort Myers (53-46, 22-12) in front with a mammoth two-run homer to left center in the first, opening the flood gates for a big inning. After a Billy Amick single, Jupiter (55-47, 19-17) starter Eliazar Dishmey (4-3) walked four consecutive batters to make it 3-0. Jay Thomason then grounded a ball past first baseman Garret Forrest to extend the lead to 5-0. After another walk loaded the bases, a wild pitch brought in Thomason to extend the lead to 6-0. Caden Kendle drove in a run with a fielder’s choice before Kyle DeBarge capped the inning at 8-0 with an RBI single.

The Mighty Mussels tacked on two more runs in the fourth when Rixon Wingrove shot an RBI double into the left field corner. Derek Bender then drilled a run-scoring single to right. It was the first professional hit and RBI for Bender, who reached base three times on the night.

Devin Kirby struck out four batters in relief before Cleiber Maldonado put up a pair of zeroes to close out the win. With Lakeland losing Wednesday, the Fort Myers’ lead in the division grows to 2.0 games with 29 contests to play.

The Mighty Mussels will turn to RHP Tanner Hall (3-0, 5.22) at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, who will be opposed by LHP Keyner Benitez (0-2, 3.97) of Jupiter. Coverage begins at 6:15 p.m. on the Mighty Mussels Baseball Network.