Familia Delivers Knockout Blow, Tarpons Walk-Off Mighty Muscles, 8-6
June 20, 2023 - Florida State League (FSL)
Tampa Tarpons News Release
Tampa Tarpons' Christopher Famila
(Tampa Tarpons)
TAMPA, Fla. - Home sweet home. After taking nine of twelve games on a successful road trip, the Tampa Tarpons (31-33) returned to George M. Steinbrenner Field to take on the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (32-32) for the last series of the first half. The hottest player in the Florida State League, LF Christopher Famila, played hero for the Tarpons Tuesday night. He launched the go-ahead home run in the seventh inning and delivered the walk-off homer in the ninth to extend Tampa's winning streak to four games.
Tampa turned to RHP Hayden Merda (5.2IP, 7H, 4R, 3ER, 7K, HR) to open the series against Fort Myers. Merda gave the Tarpons just what they needed while having his strikeout stuff. He struck out seven batters while only walking one. Merda's go-to pitch was his slider, which he threw 46% of the time and generated a whiff rate of 38%. The slider averaged 2435 RPM.
The scoring got started in the second when Mikey Perez launched a moonshot to left field, which had a launch angle of 41 degrees.
The Mighty Muscles flexed with two outs in the third. After Ricardo Olivar got drilled with a 92 MPH sinker, Rubel Cespedes roped a double down the right field line, which scored Olivar all the way from first base to give Fort Myers a two-run advantage.
The Tarpons answered right back in the home half of the third. RF Tayler Aguilar muscled an opposite-field solo shot that landed 375 feet later to pull the Tarpons within one.
With Tampa looking to tie the game in the fifth, 1B Omar Martinez reached on a fielding error by first baseman Kyle Schmidt, and Aguilar followed that up with a walk. 2B Jared Serna continued his all-star campaign with a game-tying RBI single off the left field wall. With Tampa still threatening, Fort Myers called on Zach Veen to escape the jam. Aguilar and Serna pulled off a double steal, followed by a walk to C Agustin Ramirez which loaded the bases. DH Daury Arias tapped a ball to first base and slid feet first into the bag, but field umpire Alex Lawrie made an emphatic out call that the fans did not agree with and boos rained down as the game remained tied.
Fort Myers tacked on two more runs in the sixth. Another two-out rally started when Rafael Cruz singled. Perez singled and advanced to second on a throwing error. Kyle Schmidt dunked a bloop single right past Martinez to give the Mighty Muscles their two-run lead right back.
SS Brenny Escanio worked a leadoff walk in the bottom of the sixth, swiped second base, and tagged up to third on a deep flyout from Familia. Another productive out for Tampa cut the lead to one when 3B Jesus Rodriguez lofted a SAC-fly to right field. With the bases empty after the SAC-fly, the Tarpons put runners at the corners on back-to-back singles from Martinez and Aguilar. A diving stop from Schmidt robbed Serna of a game-tying knock to hold the lead at one.
CF Anthony Hall broke his second bat on as many pitches, but this bat died a hero as Hall looped a leadoff single into center field in the seventh. Ramirez walked for the second time of the night, and Arias lined a single to right, but the Tarpons got a little overzealous on the bases as Hall was cut down at the plate trying to tie the game. Déjà vu: another line drive base hit to right field, and Dylan Neuse showed off his cannon for the second play in a row, this time hosing Ramirez at the plate. Familia did not want to take his chances with Neuse, so he hit it over his head instead. An absolute no-doubter put the Tarpons up by two.
The Mighty Muscles would not go down without a fight. A leadoff walk and a double off the bat of Cespedes put Fort Myers in position to tie the game. Fort Myers did tie the game when Schmidt reached on an infield single. On the single, Cespedes had the burners on with two away and was able to score all the way from second base as a dive from Esacnio gave him enough time to cross the plate.
After two quick outs to begin the bottom of the ninth, Escanio worked a walk. That brought up Familia, who right now should be considered the most feared hitter in all the FSL. Familia had the green light on 3-0 as he clobbered a fastball into the seats in right for his second homer of the night. The walk-off shot left his bat at 106 MPH. As Familia rounded the bases, the Tarpons were waiting for him at home plate with two Gatorade buckets and the home run crown ready to celebrate. Through seventeen games, Familia has an eye-popping 10 home runs.
The Tarpons will look to bring the momentum into tomorrow's matchup against the Mighty Muscles. RHP Leonardo Pestana will take the ball, with first pitch set for 6:30 p.m.
Images from this story
 Tampa Tarpons' Christopher Famila |
Florida State League Stories from June 20, 2023
- Marauders Open Road Trip with Comeback Win - Bradenton Marauders
- Familia Delivers Knockout Blow, Tarpons Walk-Off Mighty Muscles, 8-6 - Tampa Tarpons
- Perez Homers in 8-6 Loss to Tarpons - Fort Myers Mighty Mussels
- Leitch's Grand Slam Lifts Threshers to Skid-Snapping Win - Clearwater Threshers
- Tuesday Night Postponed against Mets - Jupiter Hammerheads
- Mets, Hammerheads Postponed on Tuesday - St. Lucie Mets
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