Culpepper, Cespedes Lead Mussels to Dominant 9-1 Win Over Tarpons
TAMPA, Fla. (June 25, 2023) – Overpowering performances from C.J. Culpepper and Rubel Cespedes paced the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels to a series split after a convincing 9-1 victory over the Tampa Tarpons Sunday at Steinbrenner Field. Culpepper (4-3) was stellar over a career-high six frames, allowing just one hit
TAMPA, Fla. (June 25, 2023) – Overpowering performances from C.J. Culpepper and Rubel Cespedes paced the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels to a series split after a convincing 9-1 victory over the Tampa Tarpons Sunday at Steinbrenner Field.
Culpepper (4-3) was stellar over a career-high six frames, allowing just one hit and fanning five. The entire Mussels pitching staff faced the minimum over the first eight innings, allowing just one single.
Cespedes finished 3-for-4 with a homer, two RBI and two runs scored. He now has five homers in the month of June after hitting just three between April and May.
With no score in the top of the third, Ricardo Olivar singled, Danny De Andrade walked, and Rafael Cruz reached on an error to load the bases with one out. With Mikey Perez at the plate, a wild pitch allowed Olivar to score from third to give the Mussels a 1-0 lead.
Tarpons starter Baron Stuart (1-5) then walked the next two hitters, including Dylan Neuse with the bases loaded to force in De Andrade to make it 2-0.
Still leading by two in the top of the fifth, Cespedes led off with a double down the right-field line. After the next two Mussels hitters were retired, Dylan Neuse smashed an opposite-field homer to right center to double the lead to 4-0.
In the top of the sixth, Gregory Duran doubled, Luis Baez walked, and Olivar singled to once again load the bases. The next hitter was De Andrade, who lined a double to center that cleared the bases to make it 7-0 Fort Myers.
Cespedes followed with a mammoth two-run homer to the back of the concourse in right center that bolstered the lead to 9-0.
In the bottom of the ninth, the Tarpons pushed across one run on an RBI groundout from Beau Brewer to break up the shutout.
The Mussels will enjoy two off days before returning home to host the Lakeland Flying Tigers for a six-game series. First pitch for game one on Wednesday is set for 7:00 p.m. with coverage beginning at 6:45 p.m. on the Mighty Mussels Baseball Network.