Threshers Ride Sweep into 1st Place
Published on August 8, 2018 under Florida State League (FSL1)
Clearwater Threshers News Release
TAMPA, Fla. - The Threshers finished off a four-game sweep of the Tampa Tarpons and leapt into first place on Wednesday night, breaking off nine runs to upend the Tarpons, 9-4 at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
With the win, Clearwater (29-16) (61-52) overtook the Blue Jays for first place in the FSL North, after the Blue Jays suffered a 10-3 loss at Daytona.
The Threshers grabbed a run without a hit in the second, after Henri Lartigue drew a leadoff walk, and Edgar Cabral walked as well. After Raul Rivas hit into a forceout at second, Jose Gomez pulled a grounder to third that was misplayed for an error on Daniel Barrios, scoring Lartigue to give the Threshers the early lead.
Clearwater opened it up in the fifth.
Jose Gomez led off the frame with a double to left, the first hit of the ballgame for either side. Kevin Markham then reached on an infield single toward the hole at short. Grenny Cumana hit a grounder to third, which Barrios fielded and attempted a tag on the lead runner, but Gomez snuck around the tag while Cumana reached to load the bases.
Mickey Moniak then struck a double to right, scoring two to increase the lead to 3-0. With one down, Dalton Lehnen struck out Lartigue on a pitch in the dirt, but catcher Jerry Seitz was unable to locate the ball, permitting Cumana to score and Lartigue to reach.
Kyle Zurak entered in relief, and Luke Williams greeted him with a single to right, scoring Moniak. After a Cabral single, Rivas pulled a grounder to first that plated Lartigue to make it 6-0.
Ramon Rosso (4-1) held Tampa to just one hit through his first five innings, before a pair of singles and two walks pushed home a pair. Grant Dyer took over with the bases loaded and got Ben Ruta to pop out to third.
Hoy Jun Park followed with a two-run single to bring the tying run to the plate, but Dyer induced a grounder to third from Steven Sensley to end the threat.
Clearwater added some insurance in the seventh. Cabral and Rivas reached on back-to-back, one-out singles, and after Bradenton Bristo took over in relief, Markham walked with two outs to load the bases.
Grenny Cumana delivered a single up the middle to drive home two, extending the lead to 8-3. After Dom Thompson-Williams homered in the bottom of the eighth for Tampa (20-26) (55-61), Clearwater's final run came across in the ninth on a Markham RBI single.
Jonathan Hennigan finished it off, working around a leadoff walk to toss a scoreless bottom of the ninth.
Clearwater returns home to open an eight-game homestand, beginning on Thursday when the Threshers host the St. Lucie Mets at 7 p.m. Jerad Eickhoff will be on the mound making a rehab start in game one, opposed by Gabriel Llanes, and the game will be broadcast live on threshersbaseball.com beginning at 6:45 p.m.
Florida State League Stories from August 8, 2018
- Moss Now One Win Shy of Daytona's Franchise Record - Daytona Tortugas
- Threshers Ride Sweep into 1st Place - Clearwater Threshers
- Third Straight Loss to Charlotte Completes Sweep - Bradenton Marauders
- Thompson-Williams Clubs 15th Homer in 9-4 Loss - Tampa Tarpons
- Stone Crabs Sweep Bradenton with 3-2 Win - Charlotte Stone Crabs
- Hammerheads Take Series Finale 4-0 - St. Lucie Mets
- Stone Crabs Game Notes - Wed, Aug 8 vs Bradenton - Charlotte Stone Crabs
- Tampa Tarpons Game Notes: vs. Clearwater - Tampa Tarpons
- Anderson Advancing to Mississippi - Florida Fire Frogs
- Florida Clubs Four Homers, Suffers Series Sweep - Florida Fire Frogs
- Florida Fire Frogs Game Notes: August 8, 2018 - Florida Fire Frogs
- Tortugas Take Middle Game over Dunedin 9-8 - Daytona Tortugas
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