Seven-Run Sixth Cements Threshers Sixth-Straight Win 

WP: Samuel Aldegheri (1-0, 2.87)

LP: Saul Garcia (1-2, 6.52)

BOX SCORE:

CLEARWATER, FL – Despite a delay of over two hours, the Clearwater Threshers (14-6) tied their season-high with a seven-run sixth and two home runs in an 11-4 win over the St. Lucie Mets (5-15) on Saturday evening at BayCare Ballpark. The Threshers go for the first sweep of the season on Sunday afternoon.

St. Lucie got on the board in the second inning after an RBI single from Jefrey De Los Santos opened up the scoring. The Threshers loaded up the bases in the home half of the second but couldn’t get a run across until the third.

Consecutive walks to Justin Crawford and Gabriel Rincones Jr. put the tying and go-ahead runs on base. With two outs, Otto Kemp lined a double into right-centerfield off Mets starter Saul Garcia to plate Crawford from second and tie the game at one. Bryan Rincon looped the next pitch into right for a single that scored both runners and gave the Threshers a 3-1 advantage.

Rincon reached on a walk to lead off the sixth and advanced to third on an errant pickoff attempt by Mets reliever Joe Joe Rodriguez. Jordan Dissin walked, and Freylin Minyety laid a bunt single down the first base line to plate Rincon and grow the lead to 4-1. After Cade Fergus walked to load the bases, Emaarion Boyd reached on a fielder’s choice and an error by Mets shortstop Junior Tilien. The bobble allowed Dissin to score from third and give the Threshers a four-run lead. Crawford drove in two more on a single off Elliot Johnstone before Rincones Jr. cleared the bases with a three-run blast that gave Clearwater a 10-1 lead.

The Mets added a run in the seventh, scoring on a bases-loaded double play to shrink the lead to 10-2. Chad Castillo got the run back in the eighth, sending a solo homer over the left-field wall to bring the lead back up to nine. Two more runs came home for the Mets in the ninth, but Yoniel Ramirez struck out the final batter to secure an 11-4 win.

Samuel Aldegheri (1-0) earned the win in 5.0 innings of work, allowing one run on three hits with one walk and eight strikeouts. Eduar Segovia pitched a 1-2-3 sixth with one strikeout. Josh Bortka allowed one run with two walks in a hitless 1.2 innings. Ramirez allowed two runs on two walks and one strikeout in the final 1.1 frames.

Garcia pitched to one batter in the fourth... Aldegheri earned the first win by a Threshers starter in 2023... He also set the high mark in strikeouts (8) for the second time this season... Clearwater has homered in five-straight games... Rincones Jr. and Castillo are tied for the team lead with three home runs... Kemp extended his on-base streak to a team-best 12-straight games... Crawford’s eight-game hit streak is the longest active streak in the Florida State League... The Threshers have hit multiple homers in each of the last two Saturday games... The Threshers conclude their six-game set against the St. Lucie Mets (Single-A, Mets) on Sunday, April 30th at BayCare Ballpark… First pitch is at 12:00 PM... You can purchase tickets for the Threshers season at ThreshersBaseball.com/tickets or by calling 727-467-4457.