Matthews and Aguiar Lead Fort Myers to 5-0 Win
Published on April 16, 2023 under Florida State League (FSL)
Fort Myers Mighty Mussels News Release
CLEARWATER, Fla. - The Fort Myers Mighty Mussels earned a series split with the Clearwater Threshers Sunday, winning 5-0 behind Zebby Matthews' stellar start and a multi-home run game from Carlos Aguiar.
Matthews (2-0) tossed five hitless innings and struck out seven batters for the second consecutive outing. He has now logged ten scoreless frames to begin his 2023 season, allowing just four baserunners over that stretch.
In a scoreless game in the top of the second, Aguiar got things started offensively for the Mussels (5-4), launching a skyscraping flyball over the right-center field wall for his first home run of the year.
After the next hitter Danny De Andrade served a flyball to shallow right field for a double, catcher Andrew Cossetti launched his first professional home run 389 feet to left, extending the Mussels' lead to 3-0.
With the same score in the top of the third, Twins' rehabber Jorge Polanco sparked another rally for Fort Myers, smacking a line-drive single to left field for his fifth hit of his rehab stint. Jorel Ortega and Aguiar followed with back-to-back walks to set up a bases-loaded spot for De Andrade. He promptly walked on four pitches to force Polanco home from third, giving the Mussels a 4-0 advantage.
One batter later, Cossetti launched a flyball to the warning track in left field that was tracked down by Clearwater outfielder Cade Fergus. Before Ortega could cross the plate after tagging up from third, De Andrade was tagged out trying to advance from first to second resulting in an unorthodox double play to end the frame.
Leading 4-0 in the top of the eighth with one out, Aguiar belted another towering flyball to right-center field that hopped onto the berm for his second home run of the game pushing the Mussels lead to 5-0. He has now racked up multi-home run games twice (7/9/22 at TAM) since joining Fort Myers last June.
Relievers Jackson Hicks and Ben Ethridge were stout in relief of Matthews, combining for four innings of shutout baseball. The tandem struck out a combined six Threshers hitters, allowing four base runners.
The swift two-hour and 11-minute win moved Fort Myers into a tie for first place with Clearwater in the FSL West as both teams move to 5-4 on the year. Moreover, the Mussels became the first FSL team besides the Threshers to pitch a shutout this year.
Fort Myers will enjoy an off day on Monday before beginning a six-game series with the Jupiter Hammerheads on Tuesday. First pitch is slated for 7 p.m. and coverage begins at 6:45 p.m. on the Mighty Mussels Baseball Network.
Florida State League Stories from April 16, 2023
- Marauders Come from Behind to Claim Victory and Clinch Series - Bradenton Marauders
- Tarpons Outlast Blue Jays in 12 Inning Marathon - Dunedin Blue Jays
- Three Homers Sink Threshers in 5-0 Loss - Clearwater Threshers
- Mets Fall in Finale to Hammerheads, 5-3 - St. Lucie Mets
- Matthews and Aguiar Lead Fort Myers to 5-0 Win - Fort Myers Mighty Mussels
- Blue Jays Strike First and Strike Late, Down Tarpons 5-1 - Dunedin Blue Jays
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