FSL1 Clearwater Threshers

Williams Bests Former Teammate in 4-3 Win

Published on August 10, 2018 under Florida State League (FSL1)
Clearwater Threshers News Release


CLEARWATER, Fla. - Luke Williams grabbed three hits and two RBIs off former high school teammate Blake Taylor, and Grenny Cumana made two pivotal outfield plays as the Threshers edged past St. Lucie, 4-3 to even the series on Friday night at Spectrum Field.

Williams and Taylor were both drafted out of Dana Hills High School located in Dana Point, CA. Taylor was taken in the second round in 2013, and Williams in the third round in 2015.

Williams went 3-for-4 on the night with two RBIs against his former Dolphins teammate.

Cumana stripped Michael Paez of extra bases on his seventh outfield assist of the season to lead off the fourth - ultimately saving a run. Cumana also robbed Luis Carpio of a hit with two outs in the top of the ninth to secure the victory for the Threshers.

With the win, combined with a Blue Jays loss, the Threshers are now a game and a half up on the Dunedin Blue Jays with 22 games remaining in the regular season.

Clearwater (30-17) (62-53) got on the scoreboard in the first with Williams' first knock of the night. Arquimedes Gamboa reached base on a single to shallow center field to start the bottom of the inning, and Mickey Moniak followed with a line drive to the right side that clipped off the glove of first baseman Jeremy Vazquez and into right for a base hit. Gamboa moved up to third on a flyout by Henri Lartigue, and Williams beat out a throw to first for an infield single that sent Gamboa across the plate for an early 1-0 lead.

The Threshers added on to their advantage in the third. Moniak pushed a line drive into left field and stole second with one out. Lartigue walked on a pitch clock violation, and Williams lined an RBI single into center field, extending the lead 2-0.

St. Lucie (19-27) (46-67) knotted it up in the fourth with a two-run home run off the bat of Ali Sanchez.

Paez reached first on a line drive off the wall in left, but Cumana played it off the hop and threw the ball on a line to nab Paez at second to get the first out of the inning. After Vasquez reached on a five-pitch walk, Sanchez swung at the first pitch he saw and launched one over the wall in left field, making it a 2-2 ballgame.

The Mets took the lead in the sixth. Paez drew a leadoff walk and Vazquez reached on a groundball fielder's choice that was overthrown by the short stop Gamboa, allowing Paez to advance to third. Paez crossed the plate on a passed ball, pushing St. Lucie to a 3-2 lead.

Clearwater powered back into the lead in the home half of the inning. Luke Williams hit a line drive to left and with two outs, Kyle Martin drove a ball onto the grass in the right field berm for his fourth home run of the season, giving the Threshers the 4-3 advantage.

David Parkinson made his home debut, dealing five innings in the start. He surrendered two runs on four hits, permitting two walks and striking out five.

Alberto Tirado (2-1) got the win, and was charged with one run on no hits, walking one while striking out one in an inning of work.

Jakob Hernandez tossed two scoreless innings in relief, and Addison Russ finished it off, allowing one hit while striking out two in a scoreless ninth for his ninth save for Clearwater.

The Threshers and Mets return to Clearwater on Saturday night for Super Hero Night at Spectrum Field. Alejandro Requena (3-2) will face David Peterson for game three of a four game series with first pitch scheduled for 6:15 p.m. Kirsten Karbach will be on the call for the Threshers Broadcast Network with the pregame show beginning at 6 p.m.

Check out the Clearwater Threshers Statistics

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Florida State League Stories from August 10, 2018


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