See-Saw Affair Ends in Late Loss 

WP: Jordy Luciano (2-3, 6.00)

LP: Luis Avila (0-3, 0.60)

SV: Luis Pacheco (1)

BOX SCORE

TAMPA, FL – After taking the lead early, the Clearwater Threshers (51-42, 8-19) dropped a back-and-forth contest in a 7-6 loss to the Tampa Tarpons (37-54, 13-12) on Friday night at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Clearwater can retake the series lead in a doubleheader on Saturday.

The game stayed scoreless until the third, which began with a one-out hit by Devin Saltiban, the first hit of the game for Clearwater. He stole second base and moved to third on a wild pitch during TJayy Walton’s at-bat. After Walton stole second, Saltiban immediately took off from third, stealing home on a double steal to plate the first run of the game. Two batters later Walton stole third and scored on an errant throw by Tarpons catcher Josue Gonzalez to double the Threshers lead.

Tampa took the lead by scoring five runs in the fifth to take a 5-2 lead. The Threshers struck back in the sixth, beginning with Walton's leadoff knock on the frame's second pitch. He moved to second on a single by Eduardo Tait and shortly afterward Raylin Heredia cleared the bases with a three-run home run to tie the game at five. Tampa quickly retook the lead, scoring in the home half of the sixth to make it 6-5.

Clearwater had their backs against the wall with two outs in the eighth until Diego González extended the frame with a two-out single up the middle off Tarpons reliever Jordy Luciano. He moved to third on a single by Jared Thomas and scored on a passed ball to tie the game at six.

Tampa took the lead back in the bottom of the eighth with a two-out RBI single to take a one-run lead into the ninth. The Threshers put the tying run on second but couldn’t bring him home, sealing a 7-6 loss to the Tarpons.

Micah Ottenbreit allowed four runs on four hits with three walks and five strikeouts in 4.1 innings of a no-decision. Jose Peña allowed two runs on one hit with two walks in 1.2 innings. Luis Avila (0-3) took the loss with one run allowed in the final 2.0 innings, allowing one hit and one walk with four strikeouts.

Walton set a career-high by recording a hit for the sixth-straight game...Three of Heredia’s eight home runs in 2024 have come at Steinbrenner Field...Avila allowed his first earned run of the season in the eighth...Caba is six-for-six in steals in two games since joining the Threshers...He has stolen at least one base each time he has reached for Clearwater...Thomas pinch-hit for Albrecht in the eighth...Nine of ten position players reached for the Threshers...The Threshers continue a six-game series on the road against the Tampa Tarpons on with a doubleheader on Saturday, July 27...First pitch of game one will be at 4:00 pm at George Steinbrenner Field...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.