Mussels manhandle Tortugas in 2021 home finale, 10-2

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — After jumping over the .500 mark for the first time since May 29 with Saturday's win, the Mighty Mussels dampened the Tortugas home finale on Sunday evening. Fort Myers put up 10 runs in the first six frames and cruised to a 10-2 win over Daytona before 1,746 fans at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

Fort Myers (52-52) jumped on the board first when they loaded the bases in the top of the opening frame on a trio of walks. A wild pitch with DH Kyler Fedko (2-5, 2 R, RBI, SO) at the plate and two outs allowed 2B Alerick Soularie (1-4, 3 R, BB, SO) to score, giving the Mussels a 1-0 edge.

SS Will Holland (1-5, R, HR, RBI, BB, 3 SO) kept the visitors' offense rolling in the top of the third. On a 2-1 pitch, the 2019 fifth-round pick ripped a home run off the roof of the batting cages in left field to begin the inning. His ninth homer of the year pushed Fort Myers' lead to 2-0.

1B Christian Encarnación-Strand (3-6, 2 R, HR, 3 RBI, 2 SO) kept the rally going with a single and LF Misael Urbina (0-2, R, 3 BB, 2 SO) promptly followed with a walk. After a strikeout, Fedko hit a fielder's choice grounder to short.

Daytona (54-54) was able to get the force at second, but the relay to first glanced off the leg of Urbina and rolled into the outfield. Encarnación-Strand scored on the error to make it a three-run game. Following a pitching change, LF Willie Joe Garry Jr. (2-3, R, 2B, HR, 3 RBI, BB) doubled into the gap in left-center to chase home another tally.

The onslaught for Fort Myers continued in the fourth. Soularie reached on a two-base throwing error to start the frame and, two batters later, Encarnación-Strand muscled an offering beyond the fence in left for a two-run home run. The fourth of his career — and second of the series — padded the advantage to 6-0.

Later in the inning, Urbina reached on a five-pitch walk, took second on a ground out, and scored on a base hit to left from Fedko.

In the fifth, Fort Myers added another run when Soularie was plunked, moved to second on a wild pitch, and was brought home on a knock up the middle by Encarnación-Strand.

A frame later, the Mighty Mussels capped their scoring when Fedko began the frame with a single and Garry Jr. subsequently lofted a home run just beyond the left-field wall. The two-run shot was the Pascagoula, Miss. native's third of the campaign, putting Fort Myers in front by double-digits, 10-0.

The Tortugas made sure they were not shutout in their home finale, though. In the eighth, Ashton Creal (1-1, R, 2B) pinch-hit for DH José Torres (1-3) and scalded a double into the gap in left-center field. The second-year pro was then chased home on a single to center from 3B Debby Santana (1-2, R, RBI, SO).

After SS Elly De La Cruz (1-4, 3 SO) singled Santana to third and was thrown out trying to stretch the knock to a double, 2B Brandon Leyton (1-4, 3B, RBI, SO) served another drive into left-center. Santana scored easily on the 22-year-old's triple to draw the Tortugas within 10-2.

In his first start since being reinstated from the injured list earlier in the week, Fort Myers RHP Regi Grace Jr. (3.0 IP, H, BB, 5 SO) hurled 3.0 shutout innings in a no-decision. RHP Zaquiel Puentes (1.0 IP, 2 BB, SO) collected a spotless fourth inning and earned his second win of the year in relief.

RHP José Franco (2.2 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 4 SO) never quite found his rhythm for Daytona on Sunday. The 20-year-old was lifted in the third inning and suffered his fourth loss of the season.

Following the league-wide off day on Monday, the Tortugas will pack up and hit the road for Jupiter to close the season with a year-long 12-game road trip. Daytona will square off against the Jupiter Hammerheads on Tuesday night at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium with the first pitch set for 6:30 p.m. Coverage on the Tortugas Radio Network will begin on the MiLB First Pitch app and www.daytonatortugas.com at 6:15 p.m.

ABOUT THE DAYTONA TORTUGAS
The Daytona Tortugas are the Low-A Affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds and a member of Minor League Baseball’s Low-A Southeast. The Tortugas play at Jackie Robinson Ballpark in downtown Daytona Beach. Jackie Robinson Ballpark also plays host to Bethune-Cookman University, the Jackie Robinson Ballpark Museum, and many community events and initiatives of all sizes throughout the year.