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FSL1 Clearwater Threshers

Walding the Hero in Walk-Off Win

May 10, 2016 - Florida State League (FSL1)
Clearwater Threshers News Release


CLEARWATER, Fla. - Mitch Walding came up clutch for the Clearwater Threshers twice on Tuesday, delivering the game-tying and game-winning blows as Clearwater outlasted the Dunedin Blue Jays with a 4-3, 13-inning victory on Tuesday night.

The win for the Threshers (20-11) was their first extra-inning win and first walk-off in 2016. Clearwater becomes the first team in the Florida State League to reach the 20-win mark this season.

The Threshers came to bat in the ninth inning facing a 3-1 deficit.

Malquin Canelo stung a grounder to third which Jason Leblebijian cut off with a dive, but threw wildly to first for a two-base error that placed Canelo at second. A ground out moved him to third, before Carlos Tocci pulled a double to left to score Canelo and cut the deficit to one.

Clearwater was down to its final out when Walding stepped in against left-hander Tim Mayza. Walding entered play on Tuesday batting just .174 against lefties, but carried a .417 average with runners in scoring position.

With Tocci at second, Walding shot a grounder through the left side, sending Tocci racing around third and in to score ahead of the high throw from left-fielder DJ Davis, tying the game at three.

The teams traded zeros over the next three innings, with Jesen Therrien working three scoreless out of the Threshers pen. Therrien was faced with a bases-loaded, one-out situation in the 11th after a single, an error on Walding, and a walk to Richard Urena.

Facing the Blue Jays top hitter in Leblebijian, who had homered in the seventh, the count ran full with nowhere to put him. Therrien came back with a slider to strike him out swinging for a huge out number two. He then got clean-up man Ryan McBroom to pop out to Walding to end the inning.

Alexis Rivero (2-0) earned the win for Clearwater, as the righty set down all six men he faced, striking out three.

After burning five relievers following the starter Conner Greene, the Blue Jays (14-17) elected to move Dickie Joe Thon to the mound from second base, making his first career appearance as a pitcher.

Canelo greeted him with an infield single to the hole at short, and Cord Sandberg was grazed with a pitch to put the first two men on. An out later, Kyle Martin smoked a single to right to load the bases and set the stage for Walding.

The Threshers third baseman wasted no time, jumping on the first pitch and lining a single through to center to score Canelo with the game-winner.

Clearwater and Dunedin are now even at a game apiece in the four-game set, and will head back to Florida Auto Exchange Stadium in Dunedin for game three on Wednesday. First pitch is at 6:30 p.m. with Thomas Eshelman (1-1) on the bump against Brad Allen (3-0). The game can be heard live on the Threshers Broadcast Network starting at 6:15 p.m.

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Florida State League Stories from May 10, 2016


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