CLEARWATER, Fla. (July 3, 2026) - The Fort Myers Mighty Mussels defeated the Clearwater Threshers by a final score of 4-3 on Friday night at BayCare Ballpark.
Fort Myers’ (45-32, 8-4) pitching walked the tight rope tonight. The Mussels stranded 12 Threshers (46-33, 6-7) on the bases and seven runners in scoring position.
In the top of the first inning, the Mussels rallied to strike first against High-A rehabber Ryan Degges (0-1). After Jayson Bass walked and Luis Fragoza singled, Byron Chourio crushed a three-run shot off the right-field foul pole to give Fort Myers a 3-0 lead. It is the first time the Mussels have scored first in the series.
Fort Myers’ starter Reed Moring made his first appearance since June 5 after missing nearly a month with an injury. Nathan Humphreys hit a two-run home run with one-out in the first inning to cut the Mussels’ lead to 3-2.
Leading off the third, Ryan Sprock greeted new Clearwater arm Grant Holman with a line-drive home run into the visitor’s bullpen. Sprock’s fifth of the year made the score 4-2 Fort Myers.
That home run was number 82 on the season for the Mussels, surpassing their total of 81 from 2025. The 2026 team accomplished this feat in 48 fewer games, with last year’s club not bashing number 81 until September.
Moring exited after three innings of work. He allowed two runs on five hits and struck out two without issuing a walk. The righty threw 31 of his 41 pitches for strikes.
Merit Jones (3-1) took over in the fourth. He issued two walks to begin the frame but then retired the next three hitters to escape the jam.
Jones allowed runners in scoring position with less than two outs in each of the next two innings, but held both times to keep the lead at two runs.
In the top of the seventh inning, Ricardo Pena doubled with one out. Two batters later, Sprock singled sharply to Threshers’ center fielder Griffin Burkholder, who threw out Nunez at the plate.
Burkholder led off the bottom of the seventh inning with an inside-the-park home run on a line drive down the right field line.
Jones later loaded the bases on a single and a pair of walks with two outs. Michael Hilker Jr. (S3) came on in relief and induced an inning-ending groundout to preserve the lead.
Hilker also worked around a two-out single in the eighth inning.
Harry Genth was hit by a pitch in the top of the ninth inning and had to exit the game. Genth’s 21st hit-by-pitch leads all of Minor League Baseball.
The series continues on Saturday, July 4. Hendry Chivilli (6.75) starts for the Mussels, opposite Phillies No. 15 prospect Sean Youngerman (6.35) who takes the mound for the Threshers. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. with coverage beginning at 6:15 p.m. on the Mighty Mussels Baseball Network.