FSL Fort Myers Mighty Mussels

Bullpen Stumbles, Mussels Drop Third Straight to Cardinals 9-4

July 27, 2023 - Florida State League (FSL)
Fort Myers Mighty Mussels News Release


FORT MYERS, Fla. - The Mighty Mussels' comeback hopes were halted Thursday after allowing four runs in the top of the eighth in a 9-4 loss to the Palm Beach Cardinals at Hammond Stadium.

After Fort Myers (45-48, 11-16) fought back to pull to within 5-3, the Cardinals (47-43, 10-15) loaded the bases on two singles and a walk. With nobody out, Won-Bin Cho drew a walk to force in a run and push the lead to 6-3. Three runs scored later in the inning on a sacrifice fly, a wild pitch, and an infield single to extend the Cardinals' lead to 9-3.

Trailing by six in the bottom of the ninth, Rafael Cruz doubled to deep left and advanced to third on a wild pitch. With one out, Dylan Neuse drilled a sacrifice fly to right to bring in Cruz and cap the scoring at 9-4.

Thursday's loss is the Mussels' third in a row, dropping them to their lowest water mark of the season at three games under five-hundred.

The Cardinals got the scoring going when Won-Bin Cho singled and Zach Levenson walked to place runners at first and second with one out in the third. The next hitter was Chase Davis, who punched a hard liner to left for an RBI single that gave Palm Beach a 1-0 lead. After a hit batter loaded the bases, Leonardo Bernal walked to force in Levenson and give the Cardinals a 2-0 lead.

In the bottom of the fourth, minor-league rehabber Hernan Perez led off with a double and advanced to third on a wild pitch. With one out in the inning, Cruz rolled a grounder into left that score Perez and cut the deficit to 2-1. The next hitter was Neuse, who scorched a triple to deep left center that knotted the game 2-2.

Still tied in the top of the fifth, Levenson walked and Davis singled to set up a first and second spot for Michael Curialle. Curialle then drove an RBI double to left to put the Cardinals up 3-2. Three batters later, Ross Friedrick drove a single to deep right that brought in two more runs to extend the lead to 5-2.

In the bottom half of the same frame, Alec Sayre and Ricardo Olivar drew walks and Maddux Houghton single to load the bases. On the first pitch he saw, Perez sent a sacrifice fly to right to score Sayre and make it 5-3.

Fort Myers will start Juan Mercedes (1-0, 16.88) on Friday, opposite Cade Winquest (3-6, 5.17) of the Cardinals. First pitch is set for 7:00 p.m. with coverage beginning at 6:45 p.m. on the Mighty Mussels Baseball Network.




Florida State League Stories from July 27, 2023


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