Heavy Rain and Lightning Stalls Game in Seventh 

WP: Will Watson (1-0, 3.38)

LP: Sam Highfill (0-1, 6.43)

SV: Frank Elissalt (1)

BOX SCORE

CLEARWATER, FL – Despite a game-tying home run by Avery Owusu-Asiedu, the Clearwater Threshers (61-62, 18-39) fell 4-3 in seven innings to the St. Lucie Mets (44-81, 22-37) on Wednesday evening at BayCare Ballpark. There will be no doubleheader on Thursday when the Threshers take on the Mets in a nine-inning game on Thursday night.

St. Lucie plated the first two runs in the opening frame, but their lead did not last long. Starlyn Caba and Dante Nori drew back-to-back walks, and Caba stole second base during Nori’s at-bat. After a balk by Mets starter Brendan Girton moved the runners to second and third, Eduardo Tait drove them both home with a single up the middle tio tie the game at two after the first inning. After one out was recorded in the top of the second inning, the game went into a weather delay.

The game resumed on Wednesday, and with one out in the bottom of the second inning, Owusu-Asiedu gave the Threshers their first lead with a solo home run to make it 3-2 after two. St. Lucie drove in a pair on back-to-back two-out hits to retake the lead 4-3 in the top of the third.

Kehden Hettiger reaching on a dropped third strike to put a runner on for the Threshers with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning before the game was delayed due to inclement weather. After a rain delay of one hour and 17 minutes, the game was declared final in seven innings, with the Threshers falling 4-3 to the Mets.

Matt Osterberg struck out two, walked one and surrendered two hits in 1.1 scoreless innings of a no-decision. Sam Highfill (0-1) allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits in 2.2 innings with two walks and two strikeouts to take the loss. Reese Dutton allowed one hit and one walk with four strikeouts in 3.0 shutout frames.

Tait has driven in a run and recorded a hit in six-straight games...Dutton has tossed 6.0 shutout innings in his first two games as a pro...He has six games with multiple RBIs as a Thresher...Owusu-Asiedu’s home run was his fourth at BayCare Ballpark this season...Tickets from today’s doubleheader can be exchanged at the Box Office for another 2024 ticket of or below equal value...The Threshers continue their final homestand of the 2024 regular season against the St. Lucie Mets on Thursday, September 5...First pitch will be at 6:30 PM EST...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.