Mighty Mussels Crush Three Homers In 7-3 Win Over Marauders

FORT MYERS, Fla. (July 5, 2024) – The Mighty Mussels matched a season high with three home runs to slug their way past the Bradenton Marauders 7-3 on Friday night at Hammond Stadium.

Trailing 2-0 in the second, leadoff batter Carlos Aguiar crushed an 0-2 pitch from Bradenton (35-45, 6-8) starter Mike Burrows 111.2 MPH off the bat and out of the stadium in straight away right field to make it a 2-1 game. Wilfri Castro, playing in his first home game since May 12, followed with a walk. Three batters later, Walker Jenkins beat out an infield single which allowed Castro to score as the ball got away from Eddy Rodriguez, tying the game 2-2.

Still tied in the third, Byron Chourio hammered the first pitch of the frame on to the left field berm to give Fort Myers (41-37, 10-3) its first lead of the day, making it 3-2. The blast went 387 feet and was 103 MPH off the bat.

Still leading 3-2 in the sixth, Aguiar worked a one out walk to put a man aboard. Castro followed with a 412 foot home run down the left field line to make it a 5-2 game. The shot had an exit velocity of 104.7. Later in the inning, Ryan McCarthy came in to score on a fielder's choice off the bat of Yohander Martinez to make it 6-2.

The Marauders got a run back in the seventh after a leadoff hit-by-pitch led to an RBI groundout from Jeral Toledo to make it 6-3.

Wilker Reyes (2-1) earned the win after tossing two shutout innings and striking out three.

Nolan Santos earned his team leading eighth save of the season, covering the final three innings of the game. Santos racked up four strikeouts while allowing one run on two hits. Reyes and Santos combined to allow just two hits over the final five innings of play.

In the eighth, McCarthy doubled down the left field line with one out. Martinez followed with an infield single and McCarthy scored on the error at the end of the play to make it 7-3.

Mussels’ starter Charlee Soto struck out six batters across four innings of work while allowing two earned runs.

The Mussels return to action on Saturday, July 6. Tanner Hall (0-0, 5.40) starts for Fort Myers, opposite Peyton Stumbo (1-2, 4,74) of Bradenton. First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m with coverage beginning on the Mighty Mussels Baseball Network at 5:45 p.m.