Fergus Belts Three Extra-Base Hits in 9-4 Win

WP: Jonh Henriquez (4-0, 3.48)

LP: Brandon Barriera (0-1, 5.14)

BOX SCORE:

DUNEDIN, FL – Cade Fergus hit his second homer of the season and two RBI doubles, and the Clearwater Threshers (22-7) led the entire way in a 9-4 defeat of the Dunedin Blue Jays (16-13) on Wednesday afternoon at TD Ballpark. The series resumes on Thursday evening in Dunedin with a 6:30 first pitch

The Threshers got the scoring started with two outs in the top of the first, beginning when Jordan Viars was hit by a pitch from Dunedin starter Brandon Barriera. He moved to second on a single by Felix Reyes. Both runners advanced on a balk before Otto Kemp drove them home on an RBI single to left that gave the Threshers a 2-0 lead. After Kemp stole second and advanced to third on a balk, Ryan Leitch made the most of his first at-bat of the season with an RBI single down the right-field line that extended the lead to 3-0.

Leitch led off the fourth with a walk and came around to score on a double by Cade Fergus off Blue Jays reliever Keiner Leon. Fergus advanced to third on a balk and Bryan Rincon drove him home on a sacrifice fly to grow the Threshers' advantage to 5-0.

Fergus hit a solo home run off Blue Jays reliever Kendry Rojas with two outs in the sixth to extend the lead to 6-0. Dunedin got on the board in the home half of the sixth on two singles and a throwing error that cut the Threshers lead to 6-1.

Dunedin got a run back in the sixth on an RBI single by Glenn Santiago to make it 6-2. Reyes led off the eighth with a single and Fergus clubbed a two-out double into left field to bring Clearwater's lead back up to five at 7-2. Manuel Beltre got a run back on a two-out single in the eighth to bring the deficit back to four.

In the ninth inning, the Threshers got three-straight singles from Emaarion Boyd, Justin Crawford and Jordan Viars to load the bases. Reyes reached on a fielder’s choice that scored Boyd from third, and an errant throw by Abiezel Ramirez at second plated Crawford to extend the lead to 9-3.

A two-out single in bottom of the ninth from Adrian Pinto made it 9-4, but the score would stay there as the next batter struck out to end the game in a 9-4 victory for Clearwater.

Jaydenn Estanista allowed one hit, four walks and four strikeouts in 3.0 scoreless innings and a no-decision. Jonh Henriquez (4-0) earned the win in 3.0 innings of work, allowing an unearned run on two hits with four walks and three strikeouts. Eduar Segovia allowed two runs on three hits with three walks and a strikeout in 1.0 inning. Wesley Moore allowed one run on three hits with one walk and three strikeouts in 2.0 innings.

Fergus had his third three-hit game in the last three games... He has three-straight multi-hit games... Kemp’s on-base streak extended to 19-straight games... Henriquez leads the league with four wins... Reyes has two straight games with two hits for the Threshers... Boyd recorded two hits in back-to-back games for the first time this season... He has reached base safely in 12-straight with a four-game hit streak... The Threshers return to Dunedin to face the Blue Jays (Single-A, Toronto Blue Jays) on Thursday, May 11th … 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.