FSL1 Clearwater Threshers

Leibrandt Returns, Threshers Fall 7-2 to Dunedin

Published on August 3, 2016 under Florida State League (FSL1)
Clearwater Threshers News Release


DUNEDIN, Fla. - Brandon Leibrandt gave Clearwater five innings in his first start for the Threshers in nearly a year, but Clearwater relinquished the lead in the FSL North after a 7-2 loss to the Dunedin Blue Jays at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium.

Leibrandt (0-1), who was activated from the disabled list on Tuesday, was making his first appearance in a Threshers uniform since August 4, 2015. The lefty would be charged with four runs on seven hits across his five innings of work. Three of the four runs against him came with two outs.

Clearwater (24-15) pounded out nine hits, but was limited to just a pair of runs against starter Luis Santos (2-0). The Threshers now sit a game back of the Blue Jays (25-14) in the second-half race in the Florida State League North.

Dunedin broke open the scoring in the first inning, after back-to-back two-out singles off Leibrandt. A wild pitch permitted Gunnar Heidt to cross with the game's first run.

Heidt would strike again with a two-run homer in the third inning, making it 3-0 Blue Jays.

Clearwater cracked the scoreboard in the fourth. Mitch Walding led off the frame with a hard single to right, and Jiandido Tromp drove a ground-rule double that lodged in between the low and high walls in left field to put two men in scoring position.

Herlis Rodriguez came through with a sacrifice fly to left to bring Walding home and cut the deficit to two.

After Dunedin extended its advantage to 4-1 in the fifth, the Threshers made it interesting in the seventh.

With two on and two out, Chace Numata worked a 2-2 count against reliever Dusty Isaacs before shooting an opposite-field single through the left side to score Carlos Tocci and place the tying run on base. Zach Green worked an eight-pitch at-bat, but Isaacs won the battle with a strikeout to end the inning.

Dunedin pulled away in the home half, thanks to a Heidt RBI double and Ryan McBroom two-run homer.

Jairo Munoz danced around a single and walk to work a scoreless sixth in his return from the disabled list, but was forced to exit the game prior to the start of the seventh. The outing for Munoz was his first appearance for Clearwater since April 23.

The Threshers will look to salvage a split on Thursday, as Clearwater hosts Dunedin on Taps and Tacos Night, presented by Tijuana Flats. First pitch is set for 7 p.m., and the game will be broadcast live on threshersbaseball.com and the TuneIn app beginning at 6:45 p.m. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

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Florida State League Stories from August 3, 2016


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