FSL Fort Myers Mighty Mussels

Perez Homers in 8-6 Loss to Tarpons

June 20, 2023 - Florida State League (FSL)
Fort Myers Mighty Mussels News Release


TAMPA, Fla. - Mikey Perez homered and Kyle Schmidt drove in four runs Tuesday, but Christopher Familia hit two home runs to lead the Tampa Tarpons past the Mighty Mussels 8-6 at Steinbrenner Field.

The Mussels (32-32) built a pair of multi-run leads but could not hold either before Familia clocked a walk-off two-run homer off Wilker Reyes (1-1) with two outs in the bottom of the ninth.

Perez' solo dinger in the second inning put Fort Myers in front 1-0. In the top of the third, Ricardo Olivar was hit by a pitch before Rubel Cespedes pulled an RBI double to right to make it 2-0.

Tayler Aguilar homered to left center in the bottom of the inning to cut the Tampa (31-33) deficit to 2-1. With the same score in the bottom of the fifth, Omar Martinez reached on an error before Aguilar walked. The next batter was Jared Serna, who singled home Martinez to make it 2-2. Zach Veen then entered and tight roped out of trouble to maintain the tie.

With two outs in the top of the sixth, Rafael Cruz and Perez both delivered singles to left. The next batter was Schmidt, who dunked a bloop single to right to make it 4-2 Fort Myers.

In the bottom of the sixth, Brenny Escanio walked and stole second. After a fly out advanced him to third, Jesus Rodriguez made it 4-3 with a sacrifice fly to right.

Still trailing by that margin in the seventh, Familia clobbered a go-ahead three-run homer to right to give Tampa its first lead at 6-4.

With the Mussels down by that margin in the eighth, Olivar walked before Cespedes doubled off the wall in left. After a pair of strikeouts, Schmidt ripped a grounder to short. Escanio fired to first but Schmidt beat it out, allowing Cespedes to hustle home and tie the game.

Reyes worked a scoreless eighth before Familia delivered the walk-off blast in the ninth.

The Mussels will look to even the series at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday. RHP Andrew Morris (1-1, 41.5) is scheduled to pitch for Fort Myers, opposed by RHP Leonardo Pestana (0-2, 4.78) of Tampa. Coverage begins at 6:15 p.m. on the Mighty Mussels Baseball Network.

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