McGowan Rocks Rehab Outing but Threshers Fall 6-1 

WP: Ricky Castro (4-2, 3.72)

LP: Chase Hopewell (0-3, 6.90)

BOX SCORE

CLEARWATER, FL – A great rehab outing wasn’t enough as the Clearwater Beach Dogs (50-38, 7-15) fell 6-1 to the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (44-41, 13-7) in the first game back from All-Star Break on Friday night at BayCare Ballpark. The Threshers look to get back in the win column when they continue the homestand on Saturday evening.

A two-out two-run double in the top of the fourth gave Fort Myers an early 2-0 lead after both squads combined for just one hit in the first three frames. Former Thresher Rixon Wingrove smacked a solo home run to bring the Mighty Mussels lead up to 3-0 in the sixth.

Fort Myers added another run on a double in the eighth to increase their advantage to 4-0. With one out in the eighth, Raylin Heredia singled off Mighty Mussels reliever Jack Noble, and he moved to third on a single by Devin Saltiban. Heredia scored on a ground out hit by Diego González in the next at-bat to put the Beach Dogs on the board 4-1 after eight.

The Mighty Mussels added two more runs in the ninth to take a five-run lead. The Beach Dogs put two aboard but failed to cross the plate, falling 6-1 in their first game back from All-Star Break.

Christian McGowan allowed one hit and one walk in 3.0 shutout frames with four strikeouts in a no-decision. Chase Hopewell (0-3) allowed two runs on three hits with one strikeout in 1.0 inning to take the loss. Charles King retired all three batters he faced with a strikeout in 1.0 scoreless and hitless inning. Brandon Beckel allowed two runs on two hits with two walks and four strikeouts in 3.0 innings of work. Jake Eddington allowed two runs (one earned) in 1.0 inning, surrendering one hit and three walks.

Ware became the third Thresher in 2024 to steal ten or more bases...González came in as a defensive substitution for Castro in the eighth...Walton has recorded the Threshers first hit in each of the last two games...Owusu-Asiedu has hit safely in a career-best four-straight games...Flores has reached in five of his first six games in Clearwater...He has at least one hit in four of them...The Threshers continue a three-game series at home against the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels on Saturday, July 20...First pitch will be at 6:30 pm at BayCare Ballpark...You can purchase Threshers tickets at ThreshersBaseball.com/tickets or by calling 727-467-4457…The Box Office at BayCare Ballpark is also open daily to purchase Threshers tickets…The hours are 10 AM-5 PM Monday through Friday and 10 AM-3 PM on Saturdays.