Tortugas topple Mussels 4-1

FORT MYERS, Fla. (July 24, 2021) – Yunior Severino reached base three times and Orlando Rodriguez matched a career high with eight strikeouts, but the Daytona Tortugas toppled the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels 4-1 Saturday at Hammond Stadium.

Severino accounted for two of the Mussels’ (38-33) three hits, rocketed at exit velocities of 108.9 and 102.3 mph.

Rodriguez (1-1) battled through five innings in his second start as a member of the Twins’ organization, allowing two runs on five hits. He matched a career high with eight strikeouts, a mark he set while with the Reds’ organization on July 14, 2019 at Grand Junction.

Fort Myers relievers Matthew Swain and Steven Cruz combined for three scoreless innings of relief, each fanning two each while allowing just one hit.

The Tortugas (34-37) took the lead in the top of the second on a two-run home run from Ivan Johnson.

After five straight scoreless innings, The Mussels got a leadoff double from Jeferson Morales to start the eighth. The next batter was Severino, who smacked an RBI single to right to cut the deficit to 2-1.

In the top of the ninth, the Tortugas took advantage of three walks and a single by Allan Cerda to extend the lead to 4-1.

The Mussels go for a split of the six-game series at 12 p.m. on Sunday. LHP Zarion Sharpe (3-2, 5.33) makes the start for Fort Myers, opposed by RHP Jose Franco (4-3, 4.01) of the Tortugas. Coverage begins at 11:45 a.m. on the Mighty Mussels Baseball Network.