Bennett and Saltiban Homer in 6-3 Defeat

Threshers Led Until the Seventh in Third-Straight Loss

Pierce Bennett makes a catch in left field as the Threshers celebrate Independence Day (Nathan Ray)

By Josh Sperber

July 3, 2024

WP: Irv Carter (5-1, 3.50) LP: Enrique Segura (4.12) SV: Yondrei Rojas (4) BOX SCORE CLEARWATER, FL – Pierce Bennett hit a home run in the first and drove in a second run in the eighth, but the Clearwater Threshers (47-31, 4-8) dropped their third straight game in a 6-3

WP: Irv Carter (5-1, 3.50)

LP: Enrique Segura (4.12)

SV: Yondrei Rojas (4)

BOX SCORE

CLEARWATER, FL – Pierce Bennett hit a home run in the first and drove in a second run in the eighth, but the Clearwater Threshers (47-31, 4-8) dropped their third straight game in a 6-3 loss to the Dunedin Blue Jays on Wednesday night at BayCare Ballpark. The Threshers head on the road for a three-game set in Dunedin beginning on Thursday night.

With two outs in the bottom of the first inning, Bennett hit a solo homer off Blue Jays starter Ricky Tiedemann to give the Threshers a 1-0 lead. The score remained 1-0 until a one-out solo blast by Devin Saltiban doubled the Threshers lead in the sixth.

Dunedin took their first lead in the top of the seventh, scoring three runs before an out was recorded to steal a 3-2 lead. They added another run on a solo homer in the eighth to extend their lead to 4-2. Avery Owusu-Asiedu and Saltiban both walked in the eighth inning and Pierce Bennett drove a single to right that plated Owusu-Asiedu from second to halve the Dunedin lead.

The Blue Jays padded their lead in the ninth, piling on two more runs to take a 6-3 lead heading into the game’s final frame. The Threshers got two runners aboard and brought the tying run to the plate, but couldn’t retake the lead, falling 6-3.

Enrique Segura (1-2) allowed three runs on five hits in 6.0 innings of work, walking two and striking out four but took the loss. Ethan Chenault allowed three runs on five hits with four strikeouts.

Bennett’s first-inning homer was the first of his career...It was also the first run scored against Tiedemann in the Florida State League since 2022...Segura took a no-hitter into the top of the fifth inning...Clearwater’s crowd of 8,703 was their largest attendance of the season...Chenault set a career high with 3.0 innings pitched for the first time in his pro career...The Threshers begin a three-game road series against the Dunedin Blue Jays on Thursday, July Fourth...First pitch will be at 7:00 PM at TD 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.