Clearwater Trips up Tampa 4-2 Friday
Published on May 3, 2013 under Florida State League (FSL1)
Clearwater Threshers News Release
CLEARWATER - The Clearwater Threshers powered past the Tampa Yankees with a pair of late homers to win 4-2 in front of 6,809 fans at Bright House Field on Friday night.
The Threshers (13-14) picked up their second straight win against the Yankees (11-16), overwhelming Tampa reliever Manny Barreda (0-1) with back-to-back round-trippers in the eighth inning. Clearwater is now 5-0 against Tampa in 2013.
Tampa opened the scoring in the top of the first inning against Threshers starter Perci Garner. Leadoff man Mason Williams worked the count full before depositing a fastball over the right field wall for a solo homer. Williams' second blast of 2013 put the Yankees ahead 1-0.
Clearwater evened things up in the bottom of the second inning. First baseman Chris Serritella led off with a single through the left side against Yankees starter Shane Greene. Left fielder Cameron Perkins singled to right field, advancing Serritella to third base with nobody out. Catcher Logan Moore lofted a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Serritella and tying the ballgame at 1-1 after two innings.
The Threshers jumped ahead in the bottom of the seventh inning against Barreda. Second baseman Carlos Alonso cracked a one-out single up the middle, and moved to second when center fielder Aaron Altherr grounded out to first. Right fielder Kelly Dugan popped into left field, but Ben Gamel misplayed the ball, with the error allowing Alonso to race around third and score for the 2-1 lead.
The Yankees equalized in the top of the eighth against Threshers reliever Mario Hollands, who allowed a leadoff double to Dan Fiorito. Eduardo Sosa moved Fiorito to third on a sacrifice bunt for the first out, and Williams drove him in with a line-drive single through the left side to tie the game at 2-2. Ben Gamel then singled to put runners on first and second before Threshers manager Chris Truby made the move to the bullpen, bringing in Ryan O'Sullivan (2-1). The righty induced a double play from Robert Refsnyder to end the frame, the teams still tied at 2-2.
Clearwater wasted no time moving back ahead in the bottom of the eighth. Serritella rocketed the first pitch he saw from Barreda over the left-center field fence for a solo homer. Perkins followed up with a laser over the left-field wall for another solo shot, making it 4-2 in favor of the Threshers. O'Sullivan retired the Yankees in the ninth to seal the win for Clearwater.
Garner took a no-decision with one run allowed on seven hits and a walk while striking out two over seven innings. Hollands gave up a run on three hits, recording one out. O'Sullivan got the win with just one walk allowed in 1.2 innings, striking out one.
Greene did not factor in the decision, with one run allowed on eight hits and a walk over six innings pitched; he fanned three. Barreda gave up three runs (two earned) on three hits over two innings, whiffing three Threshers.
Clearwater will go for the sweep Saturday night at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, with southpaw Ethan Stewart on the hill for the Threshers against Yankees right-hander Mikey O'Brien. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m., with Ben Gellman's pregame show starting at 5:45 p.m. on ThreshersBaseball.com.
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