Yankees Clinch FSL North
June 22, 2017 - Florida State League (FSL1)
Tampa Yankees News Release
TAMPA, Fla. - The Tampa Yankees are going back to the playoffs.
In an offensive explosion, the T-Yanks tallied 13 runs on 16 hits to defeat the Florida Fire Frogs (25-41), 13-4, on Wednesday night at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Tampa went 9-for-16 with runners in scoring position and had six players with multiple hits.
A record of 39-31 gives the Yankees the Florida State League North Division First-Half Title for the second consecutive season, edging the Clearwater Threshers (38-32) by one game.
Four of five Florida batters jumped on the first pitch they saw from RHP Brody Koerner in the top of the first. Anfernee Seymour lined a ground-rule double to center and later scored as Austin Riley reached on an error, giving the Fire Frogs an early lead.
Tampa answered by erupting for six runs on six hits, batting around against Florida LHP Drew Harrington .
Jorge Mateo blasted a ground-rule double to center and later scored on a single up the middle by Tito Polo . An infield hit and a walk loaded the bases with two outs and Jhalan Jackson lined a bases-clearing double to the wall in right-center. Gosuke Katoh and Sharif Othman followed with back-to-back RBI singles.
The T-Yanks formed a second two-out rally in the second. Trey Amburgey singled, stole second and scored on a double by Nick Solak . A walk and an error pushed another run across before LHP Chase Johnson-Mullins entered in relief. Katoh and Othman greeted the new pitcher with two more RBI singles, giving Tampa a 10-1 lead.
Harrington (L, 4-7) allowed 10 runs (seven earned) on eight hits in one and two-third innings, walking two while striking out three and throwing 35 of 58 pitches for strikes.
The Fire Frogs cut into the lead in the fourth. A hit-batter and a walk put two runners aboard with one out and Alay Lago scored both with a triple to the wall in center. A groundout by Ray-Patrick Didder allowed Lago to score, trimming the lead to 10-4.
Koerner (W, 3-1) cruised through the rest of his second-straight seven-inning performance, holding Florida to four runs (three earned) on five hits and a hit-batter. The right-hander walked one, struck out six and threw 61 of 88 pitches for strikes.
Solak lined a leadoff single in the fourth, stole second and scored on a base hit by Jackson. Jeff Hendrix singled and Polo doubled with one out in the seventh before both scored on Solak's fourth hit of the night; a two-out, two-run single.
RHP Joe Harvey tossed the final two innings, yielding one hit while striking out three in a scoreless outing.
Solak (4-for-5, 2B, 3RBI, 3R, SB) recorded his first-career four-hit game, tying a season-high in RBI. Jackson (2-for-5, 2B, 4RBI, 2R) logged a season-high in RBI. Hendrix (2-for-4, Sac-B, R), Polo (2-for-5, 2B, RBI, 2R), Katoh (2-for-4, BB, 2RBI, R, SB) and Othman (2-for-5, 2RBI) also had multi-hit games.
The Yankees continue a home stand by hosting the Dunedin Blue Jays for a four-game series. RHP Zack Littell (8-1, 1.76 ERA) is slated to start the opener for Tampa against Dunedin RHP Jordan Romano (3-1, 2.88 ERA) at 7:00 p.m.
Florida State League Stories from June 22, 2017
- Miracle Drop Second Half Opener - Fort Myers Mighty Mussels
- Stone Crabs Win Wild Affair over Mets - St. Lucie Mets
- Tampa Opens Second Half with Win - Tampa Yankees
- Yankees Clinch FSL North - Tampa Yankees
- Postseason Bound: Yankees Clinch FSL North Division First Half - Tampa Yankees
- Threshers Win, But Tampa Takes Division - Clearwater Threshers
- Stashak, Velazquez and Clay Shut Down Jupiter - Fort Myers Mighty Mussels
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