FORT MYERS, Fla. (July 8, 2026) - Jason Bass connected on a pair of home runs as the Fort Myers Mighty Mussel recorded an extra-base hit for their 33rd consecutive game, setting a modern franchise record, in their 6-5 loss to the Bradenton Marauders on Wednesday night at Lee Health Sports Complex.
Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the third, Jayson Bass blasted a solo home run to right field, making it 33 consecutive games with an extra-base hit for the offense, a new Mussels’ era record (since 2020) that passed the mark set by the 2024 team. Fort Myers has totaled 102 XBH during the streak and trails just Dunedin (35 games) for the longest streak in the Florida State League this season.
The longest streaks in all-time franchise history are 42 (2013) 51 (2016) and 63 (also 2013) which were set during the Miracle era that featured a High-A roster.
Bass would homer again in the seventh, giving him 12 on the season and tying him with Kala’i Rosario for the third most in a single season of the Mussels’ era. It was his second game-tying homer of the night, leveling the score 5-5.
Fort Myers (45-36, 8-8) sent Jason Reitz to the mound to make his seventh start of the season. Reitz fanned three Marauders (39-43, 8-9) over his first two frames.
In the top of the third, Bradenton struck first on an RBI single from Edgleen Perez, but Bass threw out the second runner trying to score on the play.
Reitz exited after 3.1 innings, throwing 32 of his 52 pitches for strikes while allowing one run on three hits. Dylan Questad entered and promptly walked a batter and allowed a go-ahead double to Richard Ramirez, putting Bradenton back in front 2-1. Merphy Hernandez threw out a run on a fly-out double play to end the inning, marking the second straight inning with an outfield assist at the plate for the Mussels’ defense.
With two outs in the fifth, Byron Chourio crushed a solo home run to right, leveling the score 2-2. After a walk to Ricardo Pena, Hernandez tripled to right center to give Fort Myers a 3-2 lead. Miguel Briceno followed with an opposite field single, moving the lead to 4-2.
Billy Oldham took over in the fifth, making his FSL debut after signing with the Twins in 2024. The righty missed substantial time with an injury and had been on the Mussels’ injured list since the start of the 2025 season.
Oldham allowed a double to Johan De Los Santos, who later scored on a wild pitch.
Adam Falinski returned to the mound in Fort Myers after being transferred from Cedar Rapids on Monday. Falinski allowed a double to lead off the sixth but held the 4-3 lead.
In the top of the seventh, the first two Marauders reached on a bunt single and a throwing error by Briceno. With runners at second and third, the game entered a weather delay at 9:06 p.m.
After a 1:04 rain delay, the teams resumed play. Mike McKenna (5-4) entered, inheriting Falinski’s two runners. High-A rehabber Jared Jones pulled a go-ahead, two-run single to put Bradenton on top 5-4.
Bass’ leadoff home run in the bottom of the seventh tied the game up.
Facing McKenna in the eighth, Ramirez connected on his second home run of the series to put the Marauders ahead 6-5. For Ramirez, it was his fifth extra-base hit in his first nine at-bats of the series.
Michael Hilker Jr. worked around a leadoff single to strand a runner in scoring position in the ninth.
Bass’ bid for his third home run of the night fell just short, getting caught on the far edge of the warning track, and Fort Myers dropped its fourth consecutive game.
The Mussels bounced into four double plays in the game, two of which were inning ending.
The series continues on Thursday, July 9. Fort Myers sends Reed Moring (2.68) to the mound, Bradenton counters with Yonleg Gaetano (4.66). First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. with coverage beginning at 6:40 p.m. on the Mighty Mussels Baseball Network.