Saltiban Smacks Two Homers in Sunday Win

WP: Mavis Graves (2-1, 2.87)

LP: Khristian Curtis (0-2, 6.28)

SV: Saul Teran (4)

BOX SCORE

CLEARWATER, FL – Devin Saltiban drilled his first two homers of the season to help the Clearwater Threshers (15-6) win their second-straight game 5-3 in the series finale against the Bradenton Marauders (4-17) on Sunday afternoon at BayCare Ballpark. After a Monday off, the Threshers begin a twelve-game road trip with a 2023 playoff rematch against the Lakeland Flying Tigers.

The scoring started in the fourth with an RBI single from Bradenton’s catcher Garret Forrester to put them on the board at 1-0. The score stayed the same until the bottom of the fifth, beginning when Nikau Pouaka-Grego was hit by a pitch from Khristian Curtis. AJ Shaver reached on a one-out walk, and both runners advanced on a passed ball. With runners on second and third, Marauders reliever Inmer Lobo balked to advance Shaver to third and score Pouaka-Grego to tie the game at one.

Later in the at-bat, Trent Farquhar laced his first home run of the season over the right field wall to give the Threshers a 3-1 lead. Bradenton responded with a run in the top of the sixth before Saltiban took it back with a solo shot to make it 4-2.

Bradenton added a run on a sacrifice fly in the top of the eighth to bring themselves within one run at 4-3. Saltiban struck again in the home half of the frame, with his second solo shot of the afternoon returning a two-run lead to the Threshers.

Mavis Graves (2-1) allowed one run on four hits with two walks and six strikeouts in 5.0 innings of work to earn the win. Paxton Thompson allowed one unearned run on one hit in 1.0 frame with two strikeouts. Jake Eddington struck out two and surrendered one hit in 1.0 shutout inning. Saul Teran earned a six-out save with one unearned run allowed in 2.0 innings, allowing one hit and striking out one.

Saltiban’s homers were his first two of the season...It was the first multi-home run game by a Thresher in 2024...Farquhar hit his first career homer to put the Threshers ahead in the fifth...He finished the series with a walk in nine of seventeen plate appearances against Bradenton...As a team, the Threshers drew eight walks and struck out just three times...Eddington tossed 3.0 shutout innings in two relief appearances against Bradenton...Teran is now tied for the league lead in saves after earning his fourth...Next week’s matchup against Lakeland is a battle between the top two teams in the FSL West Division...The Threshers begin a 12-game road trip on Tuesday, April 30 in Lakeland against the Flying Tigers...First pitch for Tuesday’s game will be at 6:30 PM at Joker Marchant Stadium...You can purchase tickets for the Threshers season 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.