Comeback Bid Falls Short in Ninth 

WP: Aaron Nixon (2-1, 4.37)

LP: Micah Ottenbreit (2-4, 5.32)

SV: Kris Bow (1)

BOX SCORE

CLEARWATER, FL – Keaton Anthony had two extra-base hits including an eighth-inning home run, but the Clearwater Threshers (36-23) fell 7-6 to the Tampa Tarpons (23-36) on Wednesday night at BayCare Ballpark. Clearwater looks to snap a four-game skid when they return on Thursday night.

The first four Tarpons recorded a hit in the top of the first, with three of them scoring to give Tampa a 3-0 lead after one. Nikau Pouaka-Grego and Raylin Heredia traded one-out doubles in the second, and Pouaka-Grego scored on a wild pitch by Tarpons starter Ryan Harvey to plate the Threshers’ first run.

Tarpons shortstop Roderick Arias hit a two-run homer in the fourth to bring Tampa’s lead up to 5-1. Anthony and Pouaka-Grego smacked back-to-back doubles with one out in the fourth, with Pouaka-Grego's double holding Anthony at third. Heredia hit a sacrifice fly to score Anthony from third and cut the Tarpons lead to three runs.

Tampa got two runs back in the fifth to grow their lead back to five at 7-2. Heredia led off the seventh with a walk and Bryson Ware followed him up with a single. Lou Albrecht was hit by a pitch from Tarpons reliever Aaron Nixon to load the bases before Pierce Bennett singled in Heredia. A sacrifice fly by Jordan Viars plated Ware from third to cut the deficit to 7-4 after seven.

Anthony led off the eighth inning with a solo home run to left that cut the Tarpons lead down to two. Heredia followed with a one-out triple, and he scored on a single by Ware to put the Threshers within one. The Threshers were retired in order in the ninth to seal a 7-6 loss.

Micah Ottenbreit allowed five runs on eight hits with one walk and seven strikeouts in 4.0 innings. Josh Bortka allowed two runs on one hit in 2.0 innings of work, walking one and striking out three. Luis Avila struck out one and walked one in 2.0 scoreless and hitless innings. Jonathan Petit struck out the side in the ninth.

Ottenbreit tied his career high with seven strikeouts for the third time this season...Anthony tied Pouaka-Grego for the longest Threshers hit streak in 2024 with a hit in his eighth-straight game...He has recorded two or more hits in each of the last five games...Albrecht has reached in both games he has played with the Threshers this season...The Threshers continue a six-game series against the Tampa Tarpons on Thursday, June 13...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.