Threshers, Cubs Trade Wins on Wednesday
August 14, 2013 - Florida State League (FSL1)
Clearwater Threshers News Release
Harold Martinez paced the Threshers offense with three hits on the day, while Luis Paulino hurled five shutdown innings in a spot start as Clearwater earned a split of a doubleheader with the Daytona Cubs at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.
The Threshers (58-60, 23-27) and Cubs (63-48, 28-17) swapped victories in a twinbill for the second straight day, as Clearwater fell short in a 5-2 loss in game one before earning a 2-0 whitewash to pull even in the series. The Threshers remain 7.5 back of first-place Daytona in the FSL North.
Clearwater would not be able to overcome an early 5-0 deficit in the first contest of the day.
Daytona plated all five runs in the second inning against starter Perci Garner (6-6). Kris Bryant led off with his second home run in as many days, and was the first of five straight Cubs to reach base safely. Following a hit batsman and a walk, Chadd Krist singled to left to make it 2-0 Daytona.
After the Cubs pulled off a double steal, Elliot Soto walked to load the bases. Zeke DeVoss then hit a grounder that caromed off Garner for an infield single and a third Daytona run, reloading the bases for Wes Darvill.
Darvill hit a potential double play ball to second baseman Carlos Alonso, whose toss to shortstop Jonathan Roof was in time to get the force out at second, but Roof lost the ball in transition. Krist scored from third on the play, and Soto crossed the plate as well after the error on Roof, making it a 5-0 Cubs lead.
Clearwater's solo run was the result of a two-out rally in the fifth. Martinez got things going by lining a double to left, and Logan Moore stroked a single to left to bring Martinez around.
Garner suffered his first loss on the road this year, after surrendering five runs (four earned) on four hits and three walks in his 1.2 innings. Steven Inch tossed 3.1 shutout frames out of the pen, while Cody Forsythe hurled a scoreless sixth. The 25th rounder in this year's draft worked around a hit and a walk in his Threshers debut.
Ben Wells (8-6) earned the win for Daytona, holding Clearwater to one run on six hits in 5.1 innings.
Just as they did on Tuesday, the Threshers rebounded from a game one loss.
Clearwater threatened by placing a runner at second in each of the first two innings before finally cracking the scoreboard in the third.
Jose Mojica opened with a single, but was thrown out by left fielder Anthony Giansanti while attempting to stretch that hit into a double. Pete Lavin followed with a triple to right - his fourth three-bagger of the year. After Roof drew a walk, Aaron Altherr pushed Lavin home with a sacrifice fly to center.
The 1-0 advantage held steady into the seventh, when the Threshers tacked on an extra tally.
Martinez, who doubled twice in game one, grounded a single to right to lead off. With Bob Stumpo at the dish, the Threshers executed a hit-and-run as Martinez took off and Stumpo delivered a base knock to left, setting up men at the corners with nobody out.
Cubs reliever Lendy Castillo picked up a big strikeout of Mojica for the first out, but then unleashed a wild pitch that allowed Martinez to score for a 2-0 Threshers lead.
Lavin flew out to left, and the left fielder Giansanti picked up his second outfield assist of the day by gunning down Stumpo at the plate to end the inning.
Ken Giles sealed the deal in the bottom of the seventh, inducing a pair of flyouts sandwiched around a strikeout to earn his fifth save.
Paulino (5-6) scattered two hits and did not walk a batter in five scoreless frames to earn the win. The righty struck out four in his fourth start of the year for Clearwater.
Kyler Burke (4-1) was saddled with the loss for the Cubs, permitting a run on five hits and a walk in four innings.
The Threshers will conclude the five-game set at Daytona with a rubber match on Thursday at 7:05 p.m.
Clearwater returns to Bright House Field on Friday with a 6:30 p.m. contest against the Dunedin Blue Jays, where the first 1,000 fans in attendance will receive a custom Threshers beach towel.
Florida State League Stories from August 14, 2013
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