Threshers Drop Pair to Charlotte
June 6, 2017 - Florida State League (FSL1)
Clearwater Threshers News Release
CLEARWATER, Fla. - The Clearwater Threshers and Charlotte Stone Crabs battled into the early morning hours, but 19 innings of baseball resulted in a doubleheader sweep as the Threshers fell 1-0 in game one, and 3-2 in 12 innings in game two at Spectrum Field.
The Threshers (32-26) are now tied with the Daytona Tortugas atop the Florida State League North, with 12 games remaining in the first half.
The teams combined for just three hits in the opener, with Brett Sullivan 's pinch-hit RBI single in the seventh resulting in the game's only run.
Clearwater did not have a baserunner until Drew Stankiewicz worked a two-out walk in the fifth, and the Threshers were held hitless until the sixth inning.
With one out, Emmanuel Marrero dragged a bunt down the first base line and beat first baseman Dalton Kelly to the bag for an infield single.
Charlotte capitalized on a leadoff walk to push across their only run in the top of the seventh.
After Kelly worked a base on balls off Tyler Gilbert (0-2), Peter Maris sacrificed him down to second, and Kelly advanced to third on Angel Moreno 's ground out. Sullivan entered in place of Thomas Milone and worked a full count, before pulling a grounder through the right side to score Kelly.
Franklyn Kilome allowed just one hit in five scoreless innings in the start, but issued a season-high five walks in the no-decision.
Game two resulted in the longest contest for the Threshers this year.
Cole Irvin limited the Stone Crabs to two unearned runs in six innings in the start, walking one and striking out seven on 88 pitches, 61 strikes.
Charlotte (27-28) broke the scoreless tie in the sixth, when Ryan Boldt reached on an error on Jan Hernandez and scored with two outs on Kelly's triple. David Rodriguez 's double made it 2-0.
Down to their final four outs, the Threshers tied it in the bottom half.
With two on and two out, Hernandez came through with a two-run single to bring the teams back even at two apiece.
It remained that way through the next six innings, with Matt Hockenberry, Jeff Singer, and Harold Arauz combining for five shutout innings in relief.
Clearwater's best chance came in the 10th, when Mark Laird doubled to lead off the inning against Brandon Lawson . Drew Stankiewicz was hit by a pitch, but a bunt from Herlis Rodriguez resulted in a force out at third, and Lawson got Cornelius Randolph to fly out and Austin Bossart to hit into a fielder's choice to end the threat.
Charlotte broke the deadlock in the 12th. Moreno greeted reliever Luke Leftwich (0-3) with a hard grounder down the first base line that rattled around in the corner. Moreno legged out a triple, and the relay throw from Stankiewicz sailed wide allowing Moreno to score the go-ahead run.
The Threshers will look to salvage a split on Tuesday, as Alberto Tirado (3-3) takes the hill against knuckleballer Taylor Hawkins (1-3) at 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on threshersbaseball.com beginning at 6:45 p.m.
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Florida State League Stories from June 6, 2017
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- Long Named FSL Player of the Month - Daytona Tortugas
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- Pentecost Happy and Healthy Behind the Plate - Dunedin Blue Jays
- Threshers Drop Pair to Charlotte - Clearwater Threshers
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