
Mussels Edge Tortugas 8-6 in Series Opener
July 18, 2025 - Florida State League (FSL)
Fort Myers Mighty Mussels News Release
Fort Myers, Fla. - The Fort Myers Mighty Mussels downed the Daytona Tortugas 8-6 in a wild series opener on Friday night at Hammond Stadium.
Fort Myers (37-49, 10-12) tagged Daytona (41-45, 12-8) starter Cole Schoenwetter (2-7) for a trio of runs in the second inning. Bryan Acuna led off the frame with a single, before Byron Chourio and Peyton Carr drew back-to-back walks to load the bases.
Blaze O'Saben then lined into a double play, as Chourio was doubled off at second. With runners at the corners and two outs, Daniel Pena drew a walk to reload the bases.
The Mussels got their first run of the inning on a bases loaded walk from Jefferson Valladares. The next batter, Dameury Pena, laced a two-run single to center to give Fort Myers a 3-0 advantage. The base hit extended Pena's on-base streak to 12 games.
Fort Myers starter Michael Carpenter exited after two scoreless innings, having allowed a pair of hits and striking out one.
Julio Bonilla entered in the third and allowed a leadoff home run to Alfredo Duno to cut the Mussels' lead to 3-1.
In the bottom of the frame, the Mussels plated a run of their own on an RBI single from Carr, regaining a three-run margin at 4-1.
After a scoreless fourth for both sides, Daytona scored a run in the top of the fifth on a RBI groundout from second baseman Bernard Moon against Mussel reliever Adrian Bohorquez to make it 4-2 Fort Myers.
For the second time in five innings, the Mussels posted three runs in a single frame. Acuna drew a one-out walk in the bottom of the fifth, before Chourio singled to right. Carr then roped a two-run triple to right center field to score both Acuna and Chourio and put Fort Myers ahead 6-2.
Carr extended his on-base streak to 13 games and his hitting streak to six games. He finished the night reaching base four times, tallying a pair of hits and a pair of walks.
O'Saben then plated Carr with a deep sacrifice fly to left center field, extending the Mussel lead to 7-2.
Jakob Hall relieved Bohorquez in the sixth, but ran into trouble after hitting the nine hole hitter Anthuan Valencia with two outs in the inning. Duno singled to right field, before Moon doubled down the left field line to bring the Tortugas within a run at 7-6.
Ivran Romero (3-0) entered to get the final out of the frame for the Mussels. He finished the night having thrown 2.1 scoreless innings and issued just one walk to five strikeouts.
Fort Myers added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth on a sacrifice fly from Caleb McNeely to make it 8-6.
Ruddy Gomez notched his sixth save of the year after retiring the Tortugas in the ninth.
The Mussels return to action for game two of their series against the Tortugas on Saturday at 6:05 p.m. at Hammond Stadium. Twins' No. 13 prospect Dasan Hill (0-1, 2,83) will start on the mound for Fort Myers, opposite Daytona's David Lorduy (1-2, 2.63). Coverage begins at 5:45 p.m. on the Mighty Mussels Baseball Network.
Florida State League Stories from July 18, 2025
- Mussels Edge Tortugas 8-6 in Series Opener - Fort Myers Mighty Mussels
- Back-To-Back Blasts Fuel Comeback Win - Dunedin Blue Jays
- Duno Homers, Moon Drives in Three in 8-6 Defeat - Daytona Tortugas
- De Los Santos Drives in Four in Bradenton's 8-3 Win over Jupiter - Bradenton Marauders
- Hammerheads Drop Series Opener to Marauders 8-3 on Friday Night - Jupiter Hammerheads
- Mets Scuffle out of All Star Break in 7-0 Loss to Palm Beach - St. Lucie Mets
- Late Errors Sink Threshers - Clearwater Threshers
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Other Recent Fort Myers Mighty Mussels Stories
- Eight-Run Inning Powers Fort Myers to 9-3 Victory, Series Sweep over Daytona
- Martinez Lifts Mussels to 5-4 Walk-Off Win over Tortugas
- Mussels Edge Tortugas 8-6 in Series Opener
- Threshers Down Mussels 7-0 in Series Finale
- Hill, McNeely Lead Mussels to 7-2 Win over Threshers

