Lares, Bender Lead Mussels Past Flying Tigers 6-2

FORT MYERS, Fla. (August 13, 2024) – The Fort Myers Mighty Mussels extended their second half lead in the FSL West to 3.0 games with a 6-2 win over the Lakeland Flying Tigers Tuesday at Hammond Stadium.

Seven of the first eight 2024 Minnesota Twins draft picks made their Hammond Stadium debuts and first baseman Derek Bender connected on his first professional home run as the Mussels (57-47, 26-13) reached a new high water mark on the season at 10 games above .500.

Cesar Lares (3-3) dazzled in his longest outing since May 31. The lefty worked five scoreless frames, scattering seven singles without issuing a walk. In three outings against Lakeland (66-40, 24-12), Lares has totaled 15.2 innings and allowed just three earned runs (1.72 ERA).

In a scoreless game in the second inning, Khadim Diaw reached on an infield single with one out. Two batters later, Daniel Pena was hit by a pitch to set up first and second with two outs. Bender then crushed the first pitch of his plate appearance into the right field stands to put Fort Myers ahead 3-0.

Still leading by that score in the fifth, Caden Kendle worked a leadoff walk. First round pick Kaelen Culpepper followed with a hustle double to left to set up second and third with no outs. Second baseman Kyle DeBarge then shot an opposite field double down the right field line to make it 5-0. DeBarge later scored on a Lakeland error to extend the lead 6-0.

Cleiber Maldonado was the first arm out of the bullpen for the Mussels. He worked two scoreless frames and struck out the final four batters he faced. The 20-year-old topped out at 95.5 mph and threw 19 of his 28 pitches for strikes.

Jack Noble entered for the ninth and struck out the side in order on 14 pitches.

Mussels pitching held Lakeland to 1-for-7 with RISP and worked around 11 hits, 10 of which were singles. The quartet of Lares, Maldanado, Paulshawn Pasqualotto, and Noble totalled 10 strikeouts and zero walks on the night.

The Mussels return to action on Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. Twins. No. 9 prospect Charlee Soto (1-4, 5.15) starts for Fort Myers, opposite Andrew Sears (5-4, 2.53) of Lakeland. Coverage begins at 6:45 p.m. on the Mighty Mussels Baseball Network.