Seven-Run Ninth Inning Rallies Mussels Past Marauders 7-5
BOX SCORE Fort Myers, Fla. (July 6, 2025) - The Fort Myers Mighty Mussels plated seven runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to beat the Bradenton Marauders 7-5 in the sixth and final game of the series on Sunday at Hammond Stadium. Trailing 5-0 going into the bottom
SEVEN RUNS IN THE NINTH TO WIN IT🤯🤯🤯
— Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (@MightyMussels) July 6, 2025
Emmanuel Rodriguez's two-run single closes the gap and sets up Caleb McNeely's three-run walk-off homer to give us the victory!
FINAL | Mussels 7, Marauders 5 pic.twitter.com/bh0Cm5uB1X
Fort Myers, Fla. (July 6, 2025) - The Fort Myers Mighty Mussels plated seven runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to beat the Bradenton Marauders 7-5 in the sixth and final game of the series on Sunday at Hammond Stadium.
Trailing 5-0 going into the bottom of the ninth inning, Fort Myers (33-46, 6-9) got a leadoff walk from Daniel Pena. Peyton Carr then singled to left to put two runners on with no outs. The base hit was Carr’s third of the game and marked the first three-hit game of his career.
After Yohander Martinez was hit by a pitch, Javier Roman reached on an error that allowed Pena to score and cut the Bradenton (39-41, 9-5) lead to 5-1.
Dameury Pena then singled to center, scoring Carr to make it 5-2. Triple-A rehabber Emmanuel Rodriguez, the Twins No. 2 prospect, laced a two-run single to left-center field, bringing Fort Myers within a run at 5-4. Yasser Mercedes reached on a fielder’s choice, putting runners at the corners with two outs for Caleb McNeely.
In a two ball and two strike count, McNeely blasted a walk-off three run homer over the berm in left field to beat the Marauders and give the Mussels a 7-5 victory.
It was the fourth walk-off win of the season for the Mussels and the first walk-off homer since Brandon Winokur connected against the Clearwater Threshers on Aug. 27 of 2024.
For the third time in the series, Bradenton got on the board in the first inning. Wyatt Sanford led off the game with a triple against Fort Myers starter Jason Doktorczyk. Yordany De Los Santos then drove in Sanford to make it 1-0.
Still leading by one in the fourth inning, Edward Florentino hit a solo homer to double the Marauders’ lead, bringing the score to 2-0.
In the top of the fifth, Bradenton plated two more runs to again double their lead, this time at 4-0.
Doktorczyk exited after throwing five complete innings, allowing four runs on five hits, while striking out a pair and not issuing a walk.
Florentino hit his second home run of the day to lead off the top of the sixth inning against Mussel reliever Matt Gabbert to extend the lead to 5-0. Florentino homered three times in the series against Fort Myers.
Gabbert worked around three baserunners across his two innings of work, thanks in part to two ground ball double plays turned by Angel Del Rosario.
Ruddy Gomez entered in the top of the eighth inning and promptly retired the side in order, striking out two batters in the process.
In the top of the ninth, Brennan Oxford took over and got help from the Mussels’ defense. With runners at first and second and one out in the inning, Bradenton catcher Richard Ramirez blooped a single to right field. Mercedes charged and delivered a perfect throw to the plate to cut down Jhonny Severino, who was trying to score on the play. It marked the third outfield assist for a Mussel outfielder in the series.
After an off day on Monday, the Mussels will travel to Clearwater to begin a six-game series against the Threshers. Game one from BayCare Ballpark is scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. first pitch on Tuesday. Coverage begins at 6:20 p.m. on the Mighty Mussels Baseball Network.