Threshers Power Past Flying Tigers 9-4 in Series Opener
August 31, 2022 - Florida State League (FSL)
Clearwater Threshers News Release
LAKELAND, FL - The Clearwater Threshers offense exploded early and often in a 9-4 victory over the Lakeland Flying Tigers on Tuesday night at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium.
The Threshers (21-34, 56-64) opened the scoring in the first, pushing home four runs on five hits to grab an early 4-0 lead. First baseman Chad Castillo crushed a two-run ground-rule double to right-center, before Jordan Viars singled home two more runs. Castillo reached base all five times in the game and finished 4-for-4 with three RBI, while Viars picked up the first RBI's of his single-A career.
Right-hander Estibenzon Jimenez made his single-A debut on the mound for Clearwater, allowing three runs on four hits with one walk and four strikeouts in four innings of work.
Trailing 4-0 in the bottom of the first, the Flying Tigers (28-26, 60-60) responded immediately with three runs on two home runs by Manuel Sequera and Cristian Santana in the home half to trim the deficit to 4-3.
Clinging to a 4-3 lead in the third, the Threshers tacked on two more with solo homers by Castillo and Troy Schreffler to push their lead to 6-3. The second long ball in the inning was Schreffler's first professional home run.
Left-hander Matt Osterberg entered out of the Clearwater bullpen in the fifth and worked an impressive three scoreless innings. The lefty allowed only one hit and struck out three hitters, earning his second win of the season.
Leading 6-3 in the seventh, the Threshers sent nine hitters to the plate for a second time in the game and added three more on a two-run infield single by Schreffler and an RBI groundout by Erick Brito to make it 9-3. Schreffler finished 3-for-5 with three RBI.
Right-handers Daniel Harper and Carlos Betancourt finished the contest on the mound for the visitors, as Harper allowed one run on two hits before Betancourt tossed 1.1 scoreless innings with two strikeouts to preserve his second save of the year.
Clearwater and Lakeland return to action on Wednesday night in game two of the six-game set at 6:30 p.m. Righty Alex McFarlane (0-1, 3.00 ERA) is scheduled to make his second start for the Threshers, with coverage on the Threshers Broadcasting Network set to begin at 6:20 p.m.
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