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MLB

Festa Deals, Challenge System Aids Mussels in 4-2 Win

April 9, 2022

CLEARWATER, Fla. (April 9, 2022) - David Festa tossed five scoreless innings and the ABS “Challenge System” benefitted Fort Myers Saturday in a 4-2 win over the Clearwater Threshers at BayCare Ballpark. Festa (1-0) went just one batter over the minimum, striking out five without walking a single batter. His

CLEARWATER, Fla. (April 9, 2022) - David Festa tossed five scoreless innings and the ABS “Challenge System” benefitted Fort Myers Saturday in a 4-2 win over the Clearwater Threshers at BayCare Ballpark.

Festa (1-0) went just one batter over the minimum, striking out five without walking a single batter. His fastball averaged 94.6 mph while throwing 48 of his 60 pitches for strikes.

In 2022, the Florida State League is debuting a “challenge system,” in which players can immediately challenge ball and strike calls. Umpires will then defer to the Automated Ball Strike System to determine the call.

With Fort Myers (2-0) leading 3-2 in the eighth inning, the Mussels loaded the bases with two outs. In a 3-2 count, Kala’i Rosario challenged a strikeout call, which appeared to have ended the inning. The ABS system reversed the call to ball four, allowing an insurance run to score and make it 4-2.

Clearwater (0-2) got back-to-back singles to start the bottom of the ninth, but Mussels reliever

Mike Paredes retired the next three batters to seal a series win for Fort Myers.

Fort the second straight night, the Mighty Mussels got out to a healthy lead. Already up 1-0 in the top of the fifth, Emmanuel Rodriguez swatted a two-run home run to right, his first Low-A homer. The ball left the bat at 101 mph and traveled upward at a staggering 45-degree angle.

The Mussels will go for the season-opening sweep on Sunday, with Travis Adams (Low-A Debut) set to make his first start. Gunner Mayer is slated to pitch for Clearwater. Coverage begins at 11:45 a.m. on the Mighty Mussels Baseball Network.