Offense Boosts Threshers in Comeback Win over Daytona
June 21, 2019 - Florida State League (FSL1)
Clearwater Threshers News Release
CLEARWATER, Fla. - The Clearwater Threshers used another offensive outburst in a 9-4 comeback win against the Daytona Tortugas in the series opener on Thursday night at Spectrum Field. The win pushed Clearwater's second half record to 3-1.
Clearwater (39-31, 3-1) played from behind early, as Jose Garcia's RBI single against Julian Garcia in the second gave Daytona (37-32, 2-2) an early 1-0 advantage.
The offense answered in the bottom of the frame against Austin Orewiler. With two runners on, Dalton Guthrie smacked a double to right field, driving home Matt Kroon from second to tie the game at a run apiece. After a walk to Nick Maton loaded the bases, Madison Stokes bounced into a double play, scoring Danny Mayer from third for the 2-1 advantage.
Daytona rallied against Garcia again in the fourth. After a two-out single from Jose Garcia, back-to-back errors allowed Lorenzo Cedrola to bat with the bases loaded. Cedrola looped a single to right to plate two and give the visitors a 3-2 lead.
In the fifth, the Threshers found another answer to Daytona's runs. Reliever Michael Bryne entered and allowed back-to-back hits from Simon Muzziotti and Matt Vierling. With Simon Muzziotti at third, Rodolfo Duran lifted a ball to center which allowed Muzziotti to tag a tie the game at 3-3.
Julian Garcia battled in the sixth, but back-to-back hits and a fielder's choice groundout from Cedrola gave Daytona a 4-3 lead.
Garcia relieved MLB rehabber Tommy Hunter in the second. The right-hander finished five frames with nine hits allowed and four runs (two earned). The 23-year-old surrendered just one walk while striking out six.
Clearwater's offense gave Daytona's bullpen further trouble in the seventh. After issuing two walks with one out, Aneurys Zabala (1-1) could not field a Dalton Guthrie infield hit to load the bases. A batter later, Nick Maton took a heavy dose of fastballs off the plate from new pitcher Clate Schmidt, and walked to tie the game at four.
Five pitches later, Stokes was drilled by an errant pitch to force another run. With the bases still loaded, Jhailyn Ortiz crushed a ball to center for a grand slam to push the lead to 9-4.
Ortiz mashed his fourth home run in three days, and has hit a long ball in three straight games. The No. 11 prospect for the Philadelphia Phillies pushed his team leading round-tripper total to 11 and RBI total to 39.
Austin Ross (3-0) picked up the win with two scoreless frames for the Philadelphia Phillies' affiliate. The reliever allowed no hits and struck out two. Lefty Keylan Killgore finished off the game with a shutout ninth with two strikeouts.
The Threshers improved to 6-3 against the Cincinnati Reds' affiliate. Clearwater picked up their third straight games with double-digits hits with a 12-knock night. Vierling paced the offense going 3-for-4 with a double and a run scored.
Clearwater continues its four-game series with Daytona in game two on Friday night at Spectrum Field. Ethan Evanko (3-2 1.53) will toe the rubber for the Threshers against a starter to be determined for the Tortugas. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 with coverage beginning at 6:15 on Threshers Live! The Pregame Show at threshersbaseball.com.
The Threshers will transform into the Beach Dogs on Friday night at Spectrum Field. Fans can enjoy 50-cent hot dogs on Beach Dogs night. Friday night's game also features the Threshers Summer Concert Series presented by Sam '76. Jah Movement will perform a postgame concert for fans to enjoy.
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