JP Smith Returns in Grand Style but Mussels’ Bullpen Gives up First Game of Second Half

Plus, notable stat rankings and streaks from the first half of the season

BOX SCORE

TAMPA, Fla. (June 19, 2026) - JP Smith II made a grand return to the lineup and Ryan Sprock extended his historic hitting streak as the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels were defeated by the Tampa Tarpons 8-7 on Friday night at George M. Steinbrenner Field. The contest kicked off the second half of the Florida State League season.

Ryan Sprock’s knock in the third inning extended his hitting streak to 13 games, matching Walker Jenkins (2024) for the second longest streak of the Mussels’ era (since 2020). The duo trails only Christian Encarnacion-Strand, who hit safely in 20 consecutive games in 2021. Sprock is also now in a three-way tie with Jude Warwick (LAK) and Willy Montero (TAM) for the longest hitting streak in the FSL this season.

Despite back-to-back one-out walks in the top of the first, the Mussels (37-29, 0-1) could not break the scoreboard against Tampa (36-31, 1-0) starter Henry Lalane.

Fort Myers sent Ramiro Villanueva to the mound and the 20-year-old struck out the leadoff hitter en route to a clean first inning.

In the bottom of the second inning, Luis Puello hit a leadoff home run. Puello, now with seven home runs on the year, has hit four blasts in his first five at bats against Fort Myers this week.

The Mighty Mussels responded in grand fashion in the top of the third. Dameury Pena and Sprock each recorded one-out singles, then Ramiro Dominguez worked a walk.

Appearing in his first game in two weeks, JP Smith II launched an opposite-field grand slam to give the Mussels a 4-1 lead. Smith’s blast marked Fort Myers’ third grand slam of the season, with the previous two coming on consecutive days against Bradenton in mid-May.

Jake Murray relieved Villanueva with one out in the fifth. Murray allowed two inherited runners to score, but held the lead at 4-3 through five innings.

Facing Dylan Questad in the seventh, the Tarpons took the lead. Tampa tied the score on a wild pitch by Questad. The next batter was Jackson Lovich, who hit a two-run home run to give the Tarpons a 6-4 lead.

Fort Myers got a run closer in the eighth inning against Greyson Carter (4-0) with Sprock scoring on a double play.

Tampa scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to make the score 8-5.

The Mighty Mussels rallied in the ninth inning against Josh Tiedemann (S5) but fell short as they dropped the first game of the second half.

Following the conclusion of yesterday's contests across MiLB, below are some notable stat rankings and streaks for Fort Myers from the first-half of the season:

• Team batting average: .257 (1st FSL)

• Stolen bases: 154 (1st FSL, 3rd in Single-A)

• Home run streak: The offense homered in 11 consecutive games from May 15-28 which was the longest streak in the FSL this season and the longest in franchise history since MLB began tracking such streaks in 2005.

• Runs scored: 391 (1st FSL)

• Run differential: +60 (1st FSL, 3rd Single-A)

• ERA: 4.19 (2nd FSL, 5th in Single-A)

• Pitching walks: 261 (Fewest in FSL, 6th lowest in Single-A)

• Shutouts: 8 (2nd in all of MiLB)

• Dameury Pena: .326 ave and hits 75 (both led FSL and were 5th in Single-A)

• Ryan Sprock: .414 OBP 2nd FSL

• Merit Jones: 59.1 innings (1st FSL) and 3.46 ERA (2nd FSL)

• Reed Moring and Michael Hilker Jr.: Had the two longest scoreless streaks without allowing an earned run in the FSL at 19.2 and 16 innings, respectively

The series in Tampa continues on Saturday, June 20. Merit Jones (3.64) takes the mound for the Mussels and Tyler Boudreau (3.18) starts for the Tarpons. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m.