Crawford’s Late Double Seals Win for Threshers

WP: Eduar Segovia (2-0, 0.00)

LP: juan Mendez (0-1, 9.00)

SV: Jack Dallas (1)

BOX SCORE:

CLEARWATER, FL – Well-executed small ball and some timely hitting by the Clearwater Threshers (4-1) extended their winning streak to four games as the Threshers took down the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (2-3) by a 5-3 margin on Wednesday afternoon at BayCare Ballpark. The Threshers continue their first homestand of the season against the Mighty Mussels on Thursday evening.

The Mighty Mussels got on the board first, drawing three walks in the opening frame and scoring the first run on a wild pitch by Starlyn Castillo. Gabriel Rincones Jr. was hit by a pitch to lead off the second inning and Bryan Rincon walked to put two on for Jordan Viars. During Viars’ at-bat, a wild pitch by Mighty Mussels’ starter C.J. Culpepper moved the runners over before a double play allowed Rincones Jr. to score the first run and tie the game at one.

Jordan Dissin led off the third with a walk and the small ball began for Clearwater. Freylin Minyety laid down a sacrifice bunt to allow DIssin to move into scoring position. He advanced to third on a groundout by Justin Crawford and scored on a Dillon Tatum passed ball to give the Threshers their first lead at 2-1.

Fort Myers tied the game up on a groundout by Dalton Shuffield in the top fifth, but the Threshers struck back in the home half. Dissin smoked a triple into the gap in right-center field and scored on a sacrifice fly by Minyety to regain the lead at 3-2.

Shuffield evened up the score again in the seventh, reaching on an error by Minyety that allowed Fort Myers’ third run of the game to score at three, but the tie did not last long. Viars led off the bottom of the seventh with a walk, and Otto Kemp singled to move him to second. Small ball prevailed again with a Jordan Dissin sacrifice bunt that advanced both runners into scoring position before Minyety walked to load the bases.

That set up a chance for the Phillies’ 2022 first-round pick, Crawford, to play the hero. With two strikes on him, he delivered a double into left-center field that plated Viars and Kemp and gave the Threshers a two-run cushion at 5-3. Minyety was thrown out at home on the play, but the go-ahead double was enough as Clearwater held on for their fourth-straight win.

Castillo allowed one run on three hits in 3.0 innings, with three walks and three strikeouts in a no-decision. Josh Bortka walked two and struck out two in 1.0 scoreless and hitless frame. Jonh Henriquez surrendered one run on one hit with one walk and two strikeouts with a blown save in 2.0 innings. Eduar Segovia (2-0) blew a save and allowed an unearned run on two walks and three strikeouts in 1.2 innings. Jack Dallas earned his first save of the year in 1.1 scoreless frames, allowing a hit and striking out two.

Minyety drove in a run without recording an official at-bat... Dissin recorded the Threshers’ first triple of the year in the fifth... Rincones Jr. has scored or driven in a run in three straight games... Kemp extended his on-base streak to four games... That ties Erick Brito for the team lead... Three different pitchers have recorded a save for Clearwater... The run allowed in the fifth was the first time Clearwater's bullpen has allowed a run since Opening Day... The Threshers continue their first home series on Thursday, April 13th against the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels ... First pitch is at 6:30 PM... You can purchase tickets for the Threshers season at ThreshersBaseball.com/tickets or by calling 727-467-4457...