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FSL Fort Myers Mighty Mussels

Fort Myers Prevails in 5-4 Extra-Innings Victory Over Lakeland

June 29, 2023 - Florida State League (FSL)
Fort Myers Mighty Mussels News Release


FORT MYERS, Fla. - The Mighty Mussels notched their second walk-off win of the season Thursday after Dylan Neuse drew a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the tenth to seal a 5-4 victory over the Lakeland Flying Tigers at Hammond Stadium.

After Jackson Hicks induced a double play to hold Lakeland scoreless in the top of the tenth, the Mussels (37-34, 3-2) drew consecutive walks to load the bases for Neuse in the bottom half of the frame. Up in the count 3-1, Neuse took a fastball off the outside corner for ball four to force in the winning run from third.

Neuse reached base in all five plate appearances and became the first Mussels player to solidify a walk-off victory since Dalton Shuffield launched a game-winning home run on April 22 versus Jupiter.

Fort Myers starting pitcher Ben Ethridge (0-4) was fantastic, allowing no runs on one hit with five strike outs.

After Ethridge tossed two scoreless, Rubel Cespedes singled, Neuse was hit by a pitch, and Maddux Houghton walked to load the bases with two outs. Dillon Tatum then proceeded to draw a four-pitch walk to force in the game's first run to make it 1-0 Mussels.

In the bottom of the third, Danny De Andrade and Mikey Perez both walked and then stole second in third to place runners at second and third with two outs. The next hitter Neuse, who chopped a soft roller to third for an infield RBI single to push the lead to two runs. Gregory Duran followed with a ringing double to the left-center field gap to score two more and make it 4-0. He has now driven in seven runs over the previous two nights.

However, once Lakeland got into the Mussels' bullpen, they began to chip away.

In the top of the sixth, Seth Stephenson walked on four pitches to lead off the inning. Luke Gold then roped a double into the right-center field gap to score Stephenson from first to make it 4-1. Later in the frame, Stephenson advanced to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a two-out balk by reliever Rickey Mineo to cut the lead to 4-2.

In the top of the seventh, Cristian Santana and Carlos Pelegrin singled and then advanced to second and third on an error to place two runners in scoring position with two outs. Luke Gold then lined a single to right to score Santana from third to make it 4-3. On the same play, Pelegrin tried to score from second, but was thrown out on a perfect throw to the plate by Neuse in right field to help Fort Myers hold onto the lead.

In the top of the eighth, Andrew Jenkins led off the frame with a four-pitch walk. He later advanced to second on an Archer Brookman single, and to third on a balk by reliever Ricardo Velez. With runners at second and third, the Mussels drew their infield in. Abel Bastidas then hit a hard grounder to Perez at second that scored Jenkins on a close play at the plate, tying the game at four.

Left-hander Develson Aria (2-3, 7.30) is slated to start for Fort Myers while southpaw Edgardo Ibarra (0-2, 5.48) will get the ball for Lakeland. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. with coverage beginning at 6:45 p.m. on the Mighty Mussels Baseball Network.

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