FSL1 Clearwater Threshers

Threshers Power Past Marauders 6-3 Thursday

Published on May 17, 2013 under Florida State League (FSL1)
Clearwater Threshers News Release


CLEARWATER (Thursday, May 16) - The Clearwater Threshers rode a pair of homers from third baseman Maikel Franco to a 6-3 win over the Bradenton Marauders Thursday night in front of 1,505 fans at Bright House Field.

The Threshers (21-18) earned a series split behind their potent offense, rolling up six runs for the third time in their last five games. The win dropped Bradenton (15-25) further into the league cellar, and kept the Threshers within shouting distance of first place in the Florida State League's North Division.

Clearwater struck first in the bottom of the third. With two outs, Bradenton starter Robby Rowland (2-2) hit Threshers second baseman Carlos Alonso with a pitch, and Alonso swiped second to put himself in scoring position. Left fielder Aaron Altherr pounded a ground ball through the middle for an RBI single, plating Alonso and making it 1-0 Clearwater. Bradenton tied the game almost immediately, though, as Gregory Polanco took Threshers starter Gabriel Arias (5-1) deep with a one-out solo homer in the top of the fourth to even things up at 1-1.

The Threshers slugged their way back into the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. Right fielder Kelly Dugan led off the inning with a double into the right field corner, and Franco bopped a two-run homer over the right-center field fence. It was the seventh homer of the year for Franco, and it gave the Threshers a 3-1 lead.

Clearwater tacked on another in the bottom of the fifth. Center fielder Kyrell Hudson led off with a liner up the middle for a single, and stole second base to put himself in scoring position. After advancing to third on a ground out by Alonso, Hudson distracted Rowland into a balk, bringing home the run and making it 4-1 in favor of the Threshers.

The Threshers added a run in the bottom of the sixth inning against reliever Matt Benedict. Left fielder Cameron Perkins reached on an error by second baseman Dan Gamache, and moved to second on a single by first baseman Chris Serritella. With two outs, catcher Logan Moore laced a single to right to bring home Perkins and advance Clearwater's lead to 5-1.

Bradenton halved the margin in the top of the seventh. Gamache drew a leadoff walk from Arias, and came home on a one-out triple from Jacob Stallings. Carlos Mesa hit a ground out to shortstop Jose Mojica, allowing Stallings to score and cut Clearwater's lead to 5-3. The Threshers made up a bit of that lost momentum in the bottom of the eighth inning, though. Franco smashed a 2-2 fastball from Benedict over the left field wall for a solo homer. His second round-tripper of the game gave Clearwater a 6-3 lead that the Threshers held on to the rest of the way.

Arias got the win, with three runs allowed on three hits and three walks over 6.2 innings. He hit one batter, and fanned six. Chris Nichols whiffed the only batter he faced in the bottom of the seventh. Luis Garcia gave up two hits and a walk in two innings, but allowed no runs and struck out three for his fifth save.

Rowland took the loss, with four runs surrendered on six hits; he struck out three. Benedict gave up two runs (one earned) on three hits in three innings, with one strikeout.

The Threshers will look for a third straight win Friday against the Tampa Yankees, with southpaw Nick Hernandez getting the ball for Clearwater against Tampa righty Scottie Allen. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m., with Ben Gellman's pregame show starting at 6:45 on ThreshersBaseball.com.

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Florida State League Stories from May 17, 2013


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