Pitching Protects Early Lead in 4-1 Win

WP: Gabriel Cotto (1-0, 2.08)

LP: Pat Gallagher (0-1, 6.35)

SV: Jack Dallas (6)

BOX SCORE:

CLEARWATER, FL – Gabriel Cotto allowed one run to earn his first win of the season as the Clearwater Threshers (34-13) scored three runs in the first two innings and never looked back in a 4-1 victory over the Dunedin Blue Jays (24-24) on Thursday night at BayCare Ballpark. The Threshers look to clinch their fourth-straight home series win on Friday evening in Clearwater.

For the second-straight night, Justin Crawford opened the game with a leadoff base hit and stole second base off Blue Jays starter Pat Gallagher. Gabriel Rincones Jr. drove him in with a triple to center to open the scoring. Rincones Jr. scored on the next pitch when Felix Reyes hit a sacrifice fly to center that gave the Threshers a 2-0 lead.

Ryan Leitch led off the second with a walk and advanced to second on a Cade Fergus single. Leitch moved to third when Ricardo Rosario hit into a fielder’s choice. With two outs, Rosario stole second base. Blue Jays catcher Sammy Hernandez’s throw went into centerfield, allowing Leitch to score from third to extend the Threshers’ advantage to 3-0.

Hernandez got the run back with a solo homer in the fourth that put the Blue Jays on the board at 3-1. Bryan Rincon responded in the seventh, leading off the frame with an inside-the-park home run off Blue Jays reliever Grayson Thurman to bring the Threshers’ lead back to three runs. The Blue Jays put two runners on in each of the last two innings but the Threshers kept the lead at 4-1 and held on for the victory.

Cotto (1-0) allowed one run on five hits with one strikeout in 5.0 innings of work to earn the win. Alex Rao tossed two scoreless and hitless innings with one walk. Jack Dallas earned the save in 2.0 shutout innings with four hits allowed and three strikeouts.

Cotto earned his first win of the 2023 season...He is now 6-6 in 29 career games as a Thresher... Dallas took sole possession of second place in the league with his sixth save... Two of his six saves have come against Dunedin... Reyes extended his on-base streak to ten-straight games... Rincon’s inside-the-park home run moved him into a tie for the team lead with five...Four strikeouts were the fewest by the Threshers staff in a win... They have now won 20 of their last 21 games at BayCare Ballpark... Leitch threw out both potential basestealers at second...The Threshers resume their series against the Dunedin Blue Jays on Friday, June 2nd ... First pitch is at 6:30 pm EST... You can purchase tickets for Threshers games at ThreshersBaseball.com/tickets or by calling 727-467-4457.