Fort Myers Mighty Mussels News: July 19 - July 25, 2024

**Fort Myers Mighty Mussels: A Week of Ups and Downs**

The Fort Myers Mighty Mussels, the minor league affiliate of the Minnesota Twins, have had a mixed bag of results over the past week. Here's a rundown of their recent performances:

Strong Start Against the Marauders

The Mighty Mussels began the week on a high note, defeating the Bradenton Marauders 6-1 on Saturday, July 6. The team's pitching staff, led by Tanner Hall, Jack Noble, Zack Weiss, and Paulshawn Pasqualotto, combined for a dominant 14-strikeout performance, limiting the Marauders to just two singles.

The following night, the Mussels continued their strong form, crushing three home runs to slug their way past the Marauders 7-3. Leadoff batter Carlos Aguiar set the tone with a home run in the second inning, and the team matched a season high with three home runs in the game.

Struggles Against the Tortugas

However, the Mighty Mussels faced stiff competition from the Daytona Tortugas. On Tuesday, July 9, the Tortugas homered three times to defeat the Mussels 9-0 in the series opener. The Tortugas continued their dominance, taking a 2-0 series lead with a 5-4 win on Wednesday, July 10.

The Mussels did manage to bounce back on Saturday, July 13, with Charlee Soto throwing five innings of shutout ball to help the team defeat the Tortugas 4-3. This was a much-needed win, but the Tortugas ultimately took four of the five games in the series.

Recent Success Against Dunedin

In their most recent game, the Mighty Mussels cruised to an 8-1 victory over the Dunedin Blue Jays on Wednesday, July 24. The team got strong pitching and scored three runs in the third and fourth innings to secure the win. Maddux Houghton led off the third inning with his third home run of the season, and Walker Jenkins followed with his third home run to make it 3-0. The Mussels' pitching staff, led by Paulshawn Pasqualotto, Tomas Cleto, Jack Noble, and Sam Perez, held Dunedin to just one run in nine innings.

Cashless Venue Transition

In other news, the Lee Health Sports Complex, home of the Mighty Mussels, will begin transitioning to a cashless venue in 2025. This change will affect food and beverage, merchandise, parking, and ticketing.

Overall, the Mighty Mussels have shown flashes of brilliance, but consistency has been an issue. They will look to build on their recent success and continue to develop their young talent as the season progresses.