Rally Falls Short, Threshers Drop Series
August 9, 2015 - Florida State League (FSL1)
Clearwater Threshers News Release
TAMPA, Fla. - The Clearwater Threshers surged back for two runs in the final frame on Sunday, but came up short in a 7-6 loss to the Tampa Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
The game lasted three hours and 36 minutes, the longest nine-inning contest of the season for Clearwater, as the Threshers (26-18) dropped the series two game to one.
Willians Astudillo and Jesmuel Valentin led the offense, each knocking three hits. Astudillo upped his league-leading average to .322 with three singles on Sunday, and Valentin finished 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI's, a walk, and a run scored.
Clearwater had grabbed the lead early on against starter Gabriel Encinas, after a Dylan Cozens sacrifice fly plated Valentin in the first.
The Threshers knocked Encinas out with three more in the second. Aaron Brown walked, stole second, and moved to third on Astudillo's infield single before scoring on a wild pitch. Later that inning, it was Valentin who bumped the lead to 4-0 by splitting the gap in right-center for a two-run double.
The early advantage would not last, as the Yankees (20-23) pushed back with two in the second and two more in the third. Mike Ford's two-run homer off David Whitehead (7-10) knotted the game up at four.
It remained tied into the fifth, when Tampa plated the go-ahead run without the aid of a hit.
Back-to-back walks opened the inning, and Alexis Rivero entered in place of Whitehead. A wild pitch advanced both runners before Rivero got Miguel Andujar to pop out to the third baseman Mitch Walding for the first out.
Kyle Higashioka was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and Jake Skole smashed a grounder to first that Astudillo came up with on a diving stop. Skole was retired at first, but Dustin Fowler scored from third to put Tampa ahead, 5-4.
The Yankees continued to tack on against the Threshers pen, and Clearwater trailed 7-4 entering the ninth.
Clearwater sent eight men to the plate in the final frame, with a Carlos Tocci sac fly bringing one across and an error on shortstop Jorge Mateo with the bases loaded cutting the deficit to one.
With the tying run at third, Angel Rincon would induce a flyout from Brown to end the ballgame.
Clearwater will head to Lakeland for three games beginning on Monday at 6:30 p.m. with Victor Arano (4-10) on the hill against Kyle Lobstein (0-1). The call can be heard live on the Threshers Broadcast Network starting at 6:15 p.m.
Florida State League Stories from August 9, 2015
- Dunedin Sweeps Brevard County in Walk-Off Fashion - Dunedin Blue Jays
- Yankees Hold on in 7-6 Win over Threshers - Tampa Yankees
- Rally Falls Short, Threshers Drop Series - Clearwater Threshers
- Ninth-Inning Comeback Completes Sweep - Daytona Tortugas
- Cardinals Rally to Win Series - Palm Beach Cardinals
- Kuebler, Mets Hang on to Beat Hammerheads 3-2 - St. Lucie Mets
- Bats Hot as Marauders Take 10-3 Victory - Bradenton Marauders
- David Wright to Rehab with St. Lucie Mets - St. Lucie Mets
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