Tampa Tarpons Game Notes: vs. Clearwater
August 7, 2018 - Florida State League (FSL1)
Tampa Tarpons News Release
8/7 Tampa vs. Clearwater - Game 3 (of four) - George M. Steinbrenner Field (Tampa, FL) - 6:30 p.m.
Pitching Matchup: Game 1 - LHP Bailey Falter (5-4, 3.39) vs. RHP Rony Garcia (0-2, 3.52). Live Audio: TuneIn Radio (Tampa Tarpons Broadcast Network).
LAST NIGHT: Despite no-hitting the Threshers in the nightcap, Clearwater swept both ends of a doubleheader, 4-3 and 1-0 (both in eight innings) as Tampa's losing streak stretched to six games.
GAME 1: The Tarpons scored all three of their runs in the 1st inning with RBI doubles by Dom Thompson-Williams (2-for-6, 3B, 2B, RBI, R) and Ben Ruta (2-for-6, 2B, 2RBI, CS) before RHP Mauricio Llovera (6.0IP, 3H, 3R/2ER, 0BB, 7K, 75P/51S) retired the final 17 batters he faced...Clearwater got a sacrifice fly and a pair of solo homers to tie the game before using a sac-fly in the 8th to score the winning run...RHP Garrett Whitlock (5.0IP, 6H, 2ER, 2BB, 2K, HR, 77P/51S) took a no-decision...RHP Hobie Harris (BS, 2)(2.0IP, 2H, 1ER, 1BB, 3K, HR) and RHP Greg Weissert (L, 1-1)(1.0IP, 0H, 1R/0ER, 0BB, 1K) pitched in relief...RHP Addison Russ (W, 2.0IP) got the win in relief for Clearwater (2.0IP, 0H, 0R, 1BB, 2K).
GAME 2: RHP Deivi Garcia retired all 21 batters he faced, tying a career-high with 12 strikeouts over 7.0 perfect innings (82P/56S) in his first start with Tampa since June 5th...Clearwater LHP McKenzie MIlls (W, 2-5) matched Garcia with 7.0 scoreless frames (3H, 1BB, 4K, 2HB, 85P/53S)...Extra-inning rules put a runner at 2B for Clearwater and an error allowed the runner to advance, ending the perfect game bid...the run scored on a fielder's choice grounder, giving the Threshers a 1-0 lead...RHP Christian Morris (L, 1-2) completed the no-hitter (1.0IP, 1R/0ER, 0BB, 1K) as RHP Alberto Tirado (SV, 1) retired Tampa in order in the bottom of the eighth.
DEIVI'S DOZEN: RHP Deivi Garcia tallied 12 strikeouts in a game for the second time in three starts. The 19-year-old also accomplished the feat in 6.0 shutout innings (2H, 0BB, 1HB, 96P/62S) for Single-A Charleston against Augusta on July 25th.
NO-HITTER HISTORY: Last night's no-hitter marked the first time one was thrown in a loss in the Florida State League since August 23, 1992, when RHP Scott Bakkum (Winter Haven) lost to LHP Andy Carter (Clearwater) in a double no-hitter. Last night was also Tampa's first no-hitter since RHP Jose Ramirez (6.0IP) and RHP Branden Pinder (1.0IP) combined for a seven-inning no-hitter vs. St. Lucie on July 12, 2012.
RUTA'S RAKING: In his last 16 games, Ben Ruta (2-for-6, 2B, 2RBI, CS) is batting .387 (24-for-62) with 11RBI and nine runs scored. The 24-year-old also leads all Yankees minor leaguers with 33 stolen bases.
VS. CLEARWATER: Tonight will be the 14th of 15 games scheduled between the Tampa Tarpons and Clearwater Threshers. Clearwater currently leads the season-series, 9-4. The Tarpons are 3-3 against the Threshers when playing at GMS Field.
1,000 K CLUB: Last Tuesday, the Tarpons' pitching staff became the first to reach 1,000 strikeouts in the Florida State League. Tampa leads the league in strikeouts, totaling 1,063K entering today. That is 102K more than the team ranked second (Clearwater - 961). Tampa is averaging 9.32 K-per-game and is on pace for 1,305K, which would crush its own FSL single-season strikeout record set last season with 1,215K.
STRIKEOUTS FOR A CAUSE: The Tarpons have partnered with the American Cancer Society. Throughout the month of August, each time a strikeout is recorded by a Tampa pitcher, money will be raised for cancer research. The Tarpons are asking fans to donate $1.00 for every time a Tampa pitcher strikes out an opposing batter in the 31 games scheduled for August. To donate, fans must visit www.PledgeIt.com/TampaTarpons.
BABY BOMBERS: The Tarpons currently lead the league with 87 home runs. No other team has more than 80.
FOR STARTERS: RHP Rony Garcia (0-2, 3.52) will make his fifth start with Tampa. Last time out, took the loss at Clearwater on 8/2 (5.2IP, 4H, 2ER, 1BB, 7K, WP, 85P/57S)...Began the season with the RiverDogs, going 3-4 with a 4.18 ERA (71.IP, 73H, 44R/33ER, 13BB, 62S, 5HR, 6HB) in 14 starts.
2017: Combined at Rookie-level Pulaski and Single-A Charleston to go 2-3 with a 2.50 ERA (75.2IP, 63H, 29R/21ER, 17BB, 56K, 4HR) in 13 starts...opponents hit .225 (63-for-280)...allowed 3ER-or-fewer in each of his 13 starts...started the season with Pulaski, posting a 3.97 ERA (11.1IP, 11H, 7R/5ER, 2BB, 11K, 1HR) in two starts...was promoted to Charleston on 7/5 and went 2-3 with a 2.24 ERA (64.1IP, 53H, 22R/16ER, 15BB, 45K, 3HR) in 11 starts.
Personal: 20-years-old, 6-3, 200 - Mao, Dominican Republic...Signed by the Yankees as a non-drafted free agent on 7/2/15.
Florida State League Stories from August 7, 2018
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