Ricketts Smokes Four Hits in Threshers Victory

WP: Seth Nightingale (1-0, 5.40)

LP: Geoff Gilbert (1-1, 4.50)

SV: Wesley Moore (2)

BOX SCORE:

TAMPA, FL – Caleb Ricketts has a team-best four hits, including the game-winning single in the eighth to help the Clearwater Threshers (7-5) grab a 6-3 victory over the Tampa Tarpons (5-7) at George M. Steinbrenner Field on Thursday evening. The Threshers look for their third win of the series on Friday on the road against the Tarpons.

Emaarion Boyd was hit by the second pitch of the game from Tarpons starter Leonardo Pestana. He stole second on the first pitch of Gabriel Rincones Jr.’s at-bat and moved to third on a groundout. Boyd scored the first run of the game on a wild pitch to Ricketts that put the Threshers on the board 1-0 in the first.

The Threshers struck again in the top of the second, which began with a double from Cole Moore to lead off the inning. He advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a two-out single to left by Freylin Minyety to give Clearwater a two-run advantage. The Tarpons plated a run on three hits, including two singles with two outs to halve the Threshers lead to 2-1 in the home half of the second.

Cade Fergus reached with a two-out single in the fourth and stole his first base of the season with Freylin Minyety at the plate. Minyety sent a double down the third-base line that scored Fergus from second and gave the Threshers a 3-1 lead.

The Tarpons tied the game on a two-RBI single by Jared Serna in the seventh, but he was tagged out at second trying to stretch the base hit into a double. The Threshers came right back in the eighth, beginning with a leadoff single by Rincones Jr. He stole second and as he was running to steal third, Caleb Ricketts sent him home on a hit-and-run single to give the Threshers the lead back at 4-3.

Otto Kemp began a ninth-inning rally for Clearwater with a one-out double. Alex Bustamante threw a wild pitch on ball four to Rincones Jr. that advanced Kemp to third. Ricketts drove in his second run of the game on a double down the right-field line to give the Threshers a 5-3 lead.

Jordan Viars reached on a fielder’s choice and Moore walked to load the bases. Bryan Rincon walked in a run on four pitches to increase the advantage to 6-3. Wesley Moore tossed a 1-2-3 ninth to earn the save and seal the Threshers victory in a 6-3 road win.

Alex McFarlane allowed one run on three hits in 3.0 innings with two walks and five strikeouts in a no-decision. Jonh Henriquez allowed two hits and one walk in 3.0 shutout innings with one strikeout. Seth Nightingale (1-0) earned his first career win despite being tagged with a blown save, allowing two runs on two hits and a walk in 1.0 inning. Moore earned the save in 2.0 scoreless frames, allowing one hit, one walk, and striking out two.

Nightingale earned the first victory of his professional career... Moore is the first Threshers reliever to earn his second save this season... He has a save in half of his first four relief appearances as a pro... Henriquez’s 3.0 shutout innings mark the longest scoreless outing by a Threshers reliever this season... McFarlane has struck out 11 in his last two games... Ricketts set a career-high and a Threshers season-high with four hits... Rincones Jr. has reached base in nine-consecutive games... Boyd left the game after being hit on the hand in the first inning... The Threshers continue their road series against the Tarpons (Single-A, Yankees) on Friday, April 21st … First pitch is at 6:30 PM... You can purchase tickets for Threshers home games at ThreshersBaseball.com/tickets or by calling 727-467-4457.