Holland, Severino homer in 8-6 loss to St. Lucie

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (July 6, 2021) - Will Holland and Yunior Severino both doubled and homered Tuesday, but the Mighty Mussels’ pitchers walked ten batters in an 8-6 loss to the St. Lucie Mets and Clover Field.

With Fort Myers (31-24) trailing 1-0 in the top of the second, Holland lined a solo shot to left off Mets (29-26) starter Luis Moreno.

With the game still tied 1-1 in the top of the third,

Willie Joe Garry Jr. singled to right to start the inning. After stealing second and third, Keoni Cavaco walked. Two batters later, Garry Jr. and Cavaco pulled off a double steal to give the Mussels a 2-1 lead. Severino promptly clobbered a two-run, opposite-field home run off the scoreboard in left center to extend the Fort Myers lead to 4-1.

However, the Mussels’ pitching gave the lead right back in the bottom of the fourth. After starter

Denny Bentley allowed two men to reach with one out, Brad Hanner walked three straight hitters to make the score 4-3. Juan Pichardo then walked one more batter before inducing a double play to end the inning with a 4-4 score.

Pichardo put up a zero in the fifth before the fateful sixth inning. After an Anthony Walters walk, Brandon McIlwain pulled a double into the left field corner to make it 5-4 Mets. After a hit batter and a walk, Pichardo balked to force home a run and push the margin to 6-4. Jose Peroza then plated two on a broken bat flair to right center to cap the inning at 8-4.

The Mussels added two on a

Misael Urbina single in the eighth, but couldn’t get any closer.

Garry Jr. finished the night with four stolen bases, the most of any Mussels player in a single game this year.

Fort Myers will turn to

LHP Brent Headrick (3-3, 2.81) on Wednesday at 12:10 p.m. St. Lucie counters with Junior Santos (2-3, 6.28). Coverage begins at 11:55 a.m. on the Mighty Mussels Baseball Network.