FSL1 Clearwater Threshers

Leftwich Victorious in Threshers Debut

June 25, 2016 - Florida State League (FSL1)
Clearwater Threshers News Release


Luke Leftwich earned a victory in his High-A debut, and the Clearwater Threshers withstood a late Manatees rally to complete the sweep of Brevard County with a 5-4 win on Saturday night at Space Coast Stadium.

Leftwich (1-0) - who posted a 2.00 ERA with Lakewood on his way to being named a South Atlantic League All-Star - worked 5.1 innings and held the Manatees to two runs in his first appearance for Clearwater. The 22-year-old permitted six hits and did not walk a batter while striking out five. 60 of his 88 pitches were for strikes.

Carlos Tocci extended his hit streak to nine games after a 2-for-5 night, while Cord Sandberg went deep in his second-straight contest.

It was the Manatees (0-3) who jumped ahead early, plating a run each in the second and fourth innings.

Down 2-0, Sandberg's third home run of the season ignited the offense in the fifth. Austin Bossart followed with a double to left - his first hit at the High-A level - and Herlis Rodriguez singled to right to put runners at the corners.

Tocci pushed a single through the right side to knot the game up at two, as Bossart crossed the plate. Scott Kingery would then give Clearwater (3-0) the lead, as his base hit to right scored Rodriguez to make it 3-2 Threshers.

Sandberg, Bossart, and Rodriguez connected again for three-straight singles in the sixth, bumping Clearwater ahead by two.

Kingery's hustle in the ninth led to another vital insurance run, which wound up making the difference in the ballgame.

After a one-out single, Kingery swiped second and third base before Zach Green delivered an RBI single to push home the Threshers' fifth run. Kingery leads the club with 19 stolen bases, while Green's run batted in was his league-best 46th.

The Manatees cut it close in the last of the ninth, plating two runs off Ulises Joaquin and placing the tying run in scoring position. Joaquin held on by getting Dustin DeMuth to line out to left to end the ballgame, earning his sixth save.

Clearwater heads home to Bright House Field on Sunday, where the Threshers open an eight-game homestead beginning with the Daytona Tortugas. Ranfi Casimiro (6-5) will take the hill in game one of a three-game set, and the call can be heard live on the Threshers Broadcast Network beginning at 12:45 p.m.

Check out the Clearwater Threshers Statistics



Florida State League Stories from June 25, 2016


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