Threshers Upend Jupiter, 11-3
August 28, 2018 - Florida State League (FSL1)
Clearwater Threshers News Release
JUPITER, Fla. - An 11-run outburst backed a strong starting pitching performance from David Parkinson, as the Clearwater Threshers inched closed to a playoff berth with an 11-3 win over the Jupiter Hammerheads on Tuesday night at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.
Clearwater (42-22) sits five games up on the Lakeland Flying Tigers, who were idle on Tuesday after their doubleheader against the St. Lucie Mets was postponed. Clearwater has just five games remaining on the schedule, while Lakeland has at least seven left, eight if necessary.
With a win on Wednesday combined with one Lakeland loss, the Threshers would clinch the second half title in the Florida State League North. The Threshers could also clinch with two Lakeland losses, regardless of the outcome at Jupiter.
Jupiter (27-34) (68-62) opened the scoring by connecting for three straight two-out singles in the first inning on Tuesday, as Gunnar Schubert singled home Tristan Pompey to put Jupiter on top, 1-0.
The Threshers answered in the second, after Kyle Martin led off with a deep double in the right field corner. Martin advanced to third on a fly to right from Edgar Cabral, and crossed the plate when Grenny Cumana pulled double inside the third base line to tie the ballgame at one.
Clearwater grabbed the lead in the fifth. Kevin Markham struck out but reached when the ball got away from catcher Will Allen for a wild pitch, and Daniel Brito followed with a single to left-center.
Arquimedes Gamboa put the Threshers ahead with a single to right-center, scoring Markham, and Brito crossed the plate on a wild pitch to make it 3-1.
David Parkinson (3-0) settled in after permitting a run in the first, and did not allow another hit until a swinging bunt single off the bat of James Nelson opened the bottom of the sixth. Parkinson issued just one walk on the evening, throwing 78.5% of his pitches for strikes (62-of-79) while piling up nine strikeouts.
The Threshers added on in the seventh. Gamboa clubbed a double to the warning track in right to lead off the inning, and Luke Williams sent a bounding ball to short and beat the throw for an infield single, putting runners at the corners.
Lartigue sent a potential double play ball to second that was bobbled by Micah Brown for an error, as Gamboa scored to put Clearwater up 4-1.
With two down after a pair of popouts, Cumana delivered his third hit of the night. His single up the middle plated Williams to extend the Threshers advantage to 5-1.
Jupiter grabbed a pair of unearned runs in the home half to cut the deficit back to two. Will Allen reached when his sharp grounder got stuck in the webbing of Raul Rivas' glove, resulting in an infield single. Cameron Baranek reached on an error on the shortstop Gamboa, and with two down, Corey Bird's two-run double to left-center cut it to a 5-3 lead.
JD Hammer worked around a pair of walks to toss a scoreless eighth, before Clearwater broke it open in the ninth.
Cabral led off with a single off reliever Chad Smith, and a pair of hit batters loaded the bases. Markham drew a bases-loaded walk, and with one out Gamboa singled on a broken-bat knock to right to score Cumana and make it 7-3.
Vincenzo Aiello entered in relief, and Willams singled to the hole at short to push home Rivas. Henri Lartigue capped the eight-run rally, pulling a bases-clearing double to right to open up an 11-3 advantage.
Addison Russ induced the final three outs to put Clearwater on the brink of a playoff berth.
Game three of the four-game series is set for a 6:30 p.m. first pitch on Wednesday, as the Threshers send Adonis Medina to the hill against lefty Daniel Castano. The game will be broadcast live on threshersbaseball.com beginning at 6:15 p.m.
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Florida State League Stories from August 28, 2018
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- Madris Ties Game in Ninth Before Fort Myers Walks off in Extras - Bradenton Marauders
- Threshers Upend Jupiter, 11-3 - Clearwater Threshers
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- Stone Crabs Game Notes - Tue, Aug 28 vs Daytona - Charlotte Stone Crabs
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