FSL1 Clearwater Threshers

Tromp the Hero as Threshers Surpass Tortugas, Win 6-5

August 28, 2016 - Florida State League (FSL1)
Clearwater Threshers News Release


As the ninth inning began on Sunday, all the momentum swung in Daytona's favor.

The Tortugas had plated three runs with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning to overtake Clearwater, 5-4. Daytona had the league's top closer in Jimmy Herget on the hill to start the ninth, and a chance to pull within two games of Dunedin.

Jiandido Tromp changed all of it with one swing of the bat.

Tromp lined a two-run homer down the left field corner to launch Clearwater to a 6-5 lead in the ninth inning, as the Threshers came from behind twice to take the series finale from Daytona on Sunday night at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

Tromp's home run was his ninth in a Threshers uniform and 19th total between Clearwater and Lakewood this season. Kyle Martin went yard in the seventh inning to notch his 19th for Clearwater, which ties him with Art Charles (2014) for the most home runs in a season since the team became the Threshers in 2004.

Clearwater did not have a hit through five innings, and overcame deficits of 2-0 and 5-4 in earning a key win in the rubber match against the Tortugas.

With the Blue Jays not in action due to a cancellation, Clearwater (39-24) gained a half game in the standings and moved to within 2.5 games of the first-place Blue Jays. The Threshers jumped into second place in the division, as Daytona (38-24) dropped to three games back.

The Threshers faced an early deficit on Sunday, when the Tortugas plated two runs in the opening frame.

Jeff Singer held Daytona at bay through the middle frames, working a career-high 4.2 innings of shutout baseball in relief. Singer permitted only two hits and a walk, recording three strikeouts.

Jose Lopez retired the first 13 batter to start the game for Daytona, and Clearwater was held hitless into the sixth before Drew Stankiewicz broke up the bid with a single to right-center.

Down 2-0 in the seventh, it was Carlos Tocci who got it going by driving a one-out double to left. With two away, Martin came through to tie the ballgame with an opposite-field blast, bringing the teams to a two-all tie.

An inning later, Clearwater loaded the bases and Zach Coppola delivered the go-ahead, chopping a single past the drawn-in infield to score Stankiewicz and give the Threshers the lead. Tocci followed with a sacrifice fly to bring home Malquin Canelo and make it 4-2.

The night was far from over, as Daytona would rally to retake the lead in the home half. Clearwater used four different pitchers in the frame before Juan Duran's two-run single off Matt Hockenberry put the Tortugas back in front.

Down 5-4, Josh Tobias reached on an error by shortstop Blake Trahan to open the ninth against Herget (4-4). Tromp turned on a one-strike pitch, knocking a two-run shot to left to put Clearwater back in the lead, 6-5.

The Tortugas did not go quietly in the bottom half, as Jonathan Reynoso drew a lead-off walk against Ulises Joaquin and stole second. With one out, Shed Long's grounder to second moved Reynoso down to third, representing the tying run. Joaquin (3-2) stranded him there, getting Reydel Medina to fly out to left to end the game.

Clearwater will now head to Brevard County for three, starting on Monday at 6:35 p.m. Brandon Leibrandt (3-1) will take the hill, and the game will be broadcast live on threshersbaseball.com and the TuneIn app. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

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Florida State League Stories from August 28, 2016


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