FSL1 Clearwater Threshers

Tigers Trounce Threshers 12-3 for Sweep

Published on April 23, 2013 under Florida State League (FSL1)
Clearwater Threshers News Release


LAKELAND (Tuesday, April 22) - The Clearwater Threshers fell victim to a 12-3 thrashing at the hands of the Lakeland Flying Tigers Tuesday night in front of 514 fans at Joker Marchant Stadium.

The loss completed Lakeland's (7-12) sweep of visiting Clearwater (8-11), which entered the series having won two in a row. The Threshers gave up six runs in the bottom of the first and never came close to evening the score. The Flying Tigers had been just 1-7 at home prior to the three-game set.

Lakeland opened the scoring with a big first inning. A leadoff single by Eduardo Suarez was followed by an RBI triple from Chad Wright, who came home on a double from Aaron Westlake. Starter Gabriel Arias (2-1) induced outs from Jason King and Jeff McVaney without incident, but left fielder Cameron Perkins misplayed a fly ball that would have ended the inning, allowing Westlake to score and Jason Krizan to reach second base. Tyler Hanover brought Krizan in on a double to second, and John Murrian cracked a two-run homer to left to make it 6-0 in favor of Lakeland after the first inning.

The Threshers got on the board in the top of the fourth inning. Third baseman Maikel Franco and designated hitter Chris Serritella hit back-to-back singles with one out to put runners on first and second. Perkins doubled home Franco, advancing Serritella to third in the process. First baseman Harold Martinez bounced a grounder to Hanover at third that allowed Franco to race home, scoring and trimming the margin to 6-2.

The Flying Tigers added a run in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI triple from Wright and tacked on another in the fifth on an RBI single from Murrian, both off reliever Geoff Broussard. Lakeland kept the intensity up in the sixth with another huge inning. Already leading by six, the Flying Tigers got a one-out double from Westlake and a walk worked by King to put runners on first and second. Broussard departed, replaced by righty Mike Nesseth. This didn't stem the offensive onslaught, as two singles and two walks in quick succession brought in four runs, with only a double play finally ending the inning with Lakeland ahead 12-3.

Clearwater made up a run in the eighth inning against reliever Michael Torrealba. Right fielder Delmon Young led off with a double to right field, and wound up on third with two outs after advancing on a fly out to center. Perkins hit a ball deep in the hole at shortstop that he beat out for an RBI single, scoring Young from third and cutting the lead to 12-3, where it stayed.

Arias took the loss, allowing six runs (two earned) on seven hits over three innings and striking out one. Broussard allowed four runs in 2.1 innings on four hits and three walks against four punchouts. Nesseth gave up two runs on five hits and two walks in 1.2 innings, fanning one. Ryan O'Sullivan tossed one scoreless inning of relief, surrendering a hit and a walk.

Kyle Ryan (2-1) earned the victory for Lakeland with six innings of solid work; he gave up two runs on nine hits while fanning three. Ryan Robowski tossed a scoreless frame of relief, with one hit allowed. Torrealba was touched up for a run on two hits while striking out one in his lone inning of action. Will Clinard allowed three hits but no runs in his scoreless ninth inning.

The Threshers will look to get back on the winning track Wednesday against Tampa, with southpaw Nick Hernandez going for his third straight win for Clearwater. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m., with Ben Gellman's presume show beginning at 6:45 p.m. on ThreshersBaseball.com.

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Florida State League Stories from April 23, 2013


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