FSL1 Clearwater Threshers

Clearwater Takes Opener, Remains Tied for First

June 20, 2017 - Florida State League (FSL1)
Clearwater Threshers News Release


CLEARWATER, Fla. - Down to the final series of the first half, the Clearwater Threshers took care of business on Monday night, taking down the Bradenton Marauders 3-1 to remain in a tie with Tampa atop the Florida State League North.

Clearwater (37-31) owns the tie-breaker over the Tampa Yankees, and sits 1.5 games up on the Daytona Tortugas entering the final two games of the half. Bradenton (36-29) was eliminated from contention in the FSL South, as the Palm Beach Cardinals took the division after the Marauders' loss.

The Threshers will have a chance to clinch the North division on Tuesday, as Clearwater would need a win in game two combined with a Tampa loss in order to punch their playoff ticket.

Pitching led the way in the opener, as Franklyn Kilome, Ranfi Casimiro, and Jeff Singer combined to hold the Marauders to just one run.

Kilome (4-2) worked around a bases-loaded jam in the fifth inning, striking out Will Craig looking on a fastball to punctuate a solid outing. The Threshers right-hander allowed just a run on five hits and two walks, striking out four in his five innings.

Over his last five outings, Kilome has permitted only two runs total in 25.1 innings - a 0.71 ERA over that span.

Clearwater got ahead in the second inning, when Emmanuel Marrero delivered with two outs. Marrero pulled a 1-0 pitch from Bret Helton (3-1) into right for an RBI single, scoring Deivi Grullon to give the Threshers the early lead.

Mark Laird opened the third inning by lining one over short that settled into the left-centerfield gap for a double, and Damek Tomscha brought him in with a single up the middle to make it 2-0.

The Marauders managed to cut the deficit in half in the fourth, but the Threshers got that run back in the home half. Drew Stankiewicz and Marrero kicked off the inning with back-to-back singles to put runners at the corners. With one out, Laird dropped down a bunt to push home Stankiewicz and extend the lead to 3-1.

The bullpen took it from there.

Casimiro delivered arguably his best outing of the season, tossing three shut-down innings in relief. He yielded only two singles, did not issue a walk, and struck out a season-high six batters.

Jeff Singer locked it down in the ninth, striking out two in a perfect frame to pick up his FSL-leading 13th save.

Clearwater will go for the first-half title on Tuesday, as the Threshers host the Marauders at 7 p.m. in the penultimate game of the half. All-Star hurler Jose Taveras (5-2) will take the hill against Gage Hinsz (2-5), and the game will be broadcast live on threshersbaseball.com beginning at 6:45 p.m.

Check out the Clearwater Threshers Statistics



Florida State League Stories from June 20, 2017


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