Ramirez Homer Sinks Mussels 5-3 in Second Half Opener
June 23, 2023 - Florida State League (FSL)
Fort Myers Mighty Mussels News Release
TAMPA, Fla. - The Mighty Mussels erased another multi-run deficit Friday, but Agustin Ramirez' three-run homer to push the Tampa Tarpons past Fort Myers 5-3 at Steinbrenner Field.
With the Mussels (34-33, 0-1) leading 3-2 and two outs in the bottom of the eighth, Tampa's (32-35, 1-0) Jared Serna doubled to left and advanced to third on a wild pitch. The next batter was Anthony Hall, who skipped a grounder that initially looked like it was heading to Rafael Cruz at shortstop. However, the ball knocked off field umpire Davion Frye which resulted in a dead ball and a first and third situation.
The strange sequence allowed the inning to extend to Ramirez, who promptly belted a three-run homer to left to give Tampa a 5-3 lead that they would not look back from.
With no score in the bottom of the second, Christopher Familia singled on a liner to right to open the inning. The next Tarpons hitter was Brenny Escanio, who grounded and reached on a fielder's choice play that eliminated Familia. Two hitters later, Escanio advanced to second on a disengagement violation by starter Ben Ethridge (0-4) and scored on an RBI single from Tayler Aguilar to make it 1-0 Tampa.
In the bottom of the third, Hall launched a skyscraping homer to the bleachers in right field to push the Tarpons lead to 2-0. The long ball marked Hall's second in as many games against Fort Myers.
Ethridge was solid over his career-high five innings of work, allowing just two runs on three hits with two punchouts.
With the same score in the top of the fourth, Rubel Cespedes jumped on the first pitch he saw and scorched a homer to deep right center to cut the deficit to 2-1. The dinger traveled 389 feet and gave Cespedes his seventh on the season.
Still trailing by one in the top of the seventh, Kyle Schmidt doubled on a liner to center to place the game's tying run in scoring position. After Schmidt advanced to third on a ground out, Dylan Neuse drove a fly ball to deep right center that was ran down by Anthony Hall. Schmidt tagged from third and scored on the sac fly to tie to game 2-2.
In the top of the eighth, Maddux Houghton and Ricardo Olivar notched back-to-back singles to place runners at the corners with no outs. After a strikeout of Danny De Andrade, Cespedes grounded into a 6-3 fielder's choice to score Houghton and give the Mussels a 3-2 advantage.
The Mussels will look to bounce back tomorrow night as they send Develson Aria (2-3, 6.75) to the mound versus Tampa's Justin Lange (0-3, 4.29). First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. with coverage beginning at 6:15 p.m. on the Mighty Mussels Baseball Network.
Florida State League Stories from June 23, 2023
- Marauders' Bats Explode in Second Half Opening Victory - Bradenton Marauders
- Hammerheads Lose in First Game of Second Half - Jupiter Hammerheads
- Mets Win First Game Of Second Half 7-2 Over Hammerheads - St. Lucie Mets
- Threshers Mash Three Homers to Start Second Half with Win - Clearwater Threshers
- Ramirez Opens Second Half with a BANG, Tarpons Win 5-3 - Tampa Tarpons
- Ramirez Homer Sinks Mussels 5-3 in Second Half Opener - Fort Myers Mighty Mussels
- Rick Williams to be Inducted into Killebrew Root Beer Southwest Florida Professional Baseball Scouts Hall of Fame - Fort Myers Mighty Mussels
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