Ethridge Pitches Mussels to 6-2 Win Over Clearwater
July 14, 2023 - Florida State League (FSL)
Fort Myers Mighty Mussels News Release
FORT MYERS, Fla. - Ben Ethridge earned his first win of the season Friday, tossing five scoreless innings to lead the Mighty Mussels to a 6-2 victory over the Clearwater Threshers at Hammond Stadium.
Ethridge (1-4) allowed just two hits and three baserunners over his five scoreless innings of work. After Friday's start, he has allowed four earned runs over his previous 27.2 innings (1.32 ERA) since joining the rotation. Moreover, he has limited Clearwater (55-26, 11-5) to just one earned run over 12.2 innings this season.
With no score in the bottom of the first, Ricardo Olivar was hit by a pitch to lead off the frame. After Danny De Andrade grounded out, Carson McCusker launched a two-run homer onto the back of the berm in straight-away left to give Fort Myers (42-40, 8-8) a 2-0 lead. McCusker has now swatted five homers with 10 RBI over his first ten games as a Mussel.
With the same score in the bottom of the eighth, De Andrade and McCusker led off the inning with a double and single to place runners at second and third with no outs. Rubel Cespedes followed with a ringing double to left that scored both runners to make it 4-0. Two hitters later, Rafael Cruz served a single to right center that brought home Cespedes to push the lead to 5-0. After a walk to Dillon Tatum loaded the bases, Olivar scorched a line-drive single to right center that made it 6-0 Mussels.
In the top of the ninth, Clearwater spoiled the shutout when Jordan Viars launched a two-run homer to right center that capped the scoring at 6-2.
The Mussels will eye the series victory tomorrow as they send Jarret Whorff (2-0, 1.71) to the hill, opposed by Estibenzon Jimenez (2-4, 3.80) of the Threshers. First pitch is set for 6:00 p.m. ET with coverage beginning at 5:30 p.m. on the Mighty Mussels Baseball Network.
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