Clearwater Threshers Drop Home Opener 8-2
CLEARWATER, Fla. - The Clearwater Threshers were unable to work around fourth inning woes as they drop the home opener to the Lakeland Flying Tigers 8-2 on Tuesday night. Clearwater (0-1) saw the wheels of Casey Martin who stole second in the first inning, but was left on base. Lakeland
CLEARWATER, Fla. - The Clearwater Threshers were unable to work around fourth inning woes as they drop the home opener to the Lakeland Flying Tigers 8-2 on Tuesday night.
Clearwater (0-1) saw the wheels of Casey Martin who stole second in the first inning, but was left on base.
Lakeland (1-0) got on the board in the second inning. Cooper Johnson reached second base on a fielding error by right fielder Corbin Williams. Wenceel Perez followed up with a ground ball single to score Johnson, giving the Flying Tigers the early 1-0 lead.
Clearwater answered in the bottom of the third inning with a two-out rally that was sparked by a Johan Rojas double to center. Luis Garcia then singled on a ground ball that scored Rojas and reached second on a wild pitch by Lakeland starter Cleiverth Perez. Casey Martin hit a line drive double that gave Clearwater a 2-1 lead going into the fourth.
The Flying Tigers broke away in the fourth inning, scoring six runs that went unanswered. Nick Quintana was hit by a pitch to start off the inning and Johnson followed up with a double that put two men on with no outs. A wild pitch followed by a homerun off the bat of Wenceel Perez led to the first pitching change of the inning at a score of 4-2. A jumble of walks and hit batters walked in a run and brought about another change of pitchers. A sacrifice fly by Gage Workman and another walk and wild pitch combination gave Lakeland a 6-2 lead.
A fielder's choice in the ninth inning lifted Lakeland to a final score of 7-2.
Garcia and Rojas both had two-hit performances.
Gunner Mayer (0-1) suffered the loss for the Threshers, giving up four runs on three hits and recording four strikeouts in three innings of work. Carlo Reyes, Cristian Hernandez and Gabriel Yanez combined for 4.2 scoreless innings of relief.
Clearwater looks to bounce back in game two of the six-game homestand Wednesday night at BayCare Ballpark. RHP Mick Abel makes his Threshers debut against Lakeland's RHP Gio Arriera for the 7:00 p.m. first pitch.