Rios, Bullpen Solid in 2-1 Loss to Tampa
Published on June 7, 2016 under Florida State League (FSL1)
Clearwater Threshers News Release
CLEARWATER, Fla. - Yacksel Rios stepped into the rotation and delivered a strong starting performance, while the bullpen combined for four shut down innings in a 2-1 loss to the Tampa Yankees on Tuesday night at Bright House Field.
The Threshers (32-24) are now 4.5 games back of the Tampa Yankees (37-20) with 12 games left to play in the first half.
Clearwater called upon Rios to make just his second start of the season, and the right-hander did not disappoint.
Rios (1-1) came one strike away from tossing five scoreless innings, but Wes Wilson worked a walk to keep the fifth alive for Tampa.
Zack Zehner then jumped on a 1-1 pitch and lined a two-run homer out to left to give the Yankees the 2-0 advantage, on Zehner's second home run of the season.
Rios gave the Threshers a season-high five innings in the start, limiting the Yankees to two runs on three hits and a pair of walks. His previous season-high had been three innings, which came in a spot start for the Reading Fightin Phils on May 7th.
Clearwater kept it close, pulling to within one in the sixth inning.
After Carlos Tocci walked to start the frame, the Yankees went to the bullpen and called upon fellow lefty James Reeves. Andrew Pullin greeted him with a single, before Zach Green grounded into a fielder's choice.
Mitch Walding followed by brushing a soft grounder off the first base line which Bo Thompson fielded to his right, but Walding beat the pitcher Reeves to the bag for an infield single that loaded the bases.
Kyle Martin then delivered a drive to right field that was deep enough to allow Pullin to tag and score, bringing the deficit to 2-1. The sacrifice fly was Martin's team-leading 35th RBI of the season.
Joe DeNato, Matt Hockenberry, and Ulises Joaquin teamed up to toss four scoreless innings in relief of Rios, retiring the final 10 men in order.
The Threshers brought the winning run to the plate in the ninth, when Martin singled the opposite way off Reeves to open the final frame.
With one out, the Yankees called in reliever Dillon McNamara. Derek Campbell pinch hit for Cord Sandberg and narrowly missed a game-winning homer, pulling a deep drive just to the left of the foul pole in left, before McNamara induced a double play ball to end the game.
Clearwater will now head south to Port Charlotte for a four-game series against the Charlotte Stone Crabs, starting on Wednesday at 6:35 p.m. Ranfi Casimiro (5-4) has the start in game one against Benton Moss (2-5), and the game will be broadcast live on the Threshers Broadcast Network beginning at 6:20 p.m.
Florida State League Stories from June 7, 2016
- Rios, Bullpen Solid in 2-1 Loss to Tampa - Clearwater Threshers
- Chance Adams Named FSL Player of the Month - Tampa Yankees
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