Threshers End Doubleheader With a Walkoff to Sweep Tarpons
GAME ONE WP: Jaydenn Estanista (1-0, 4.03) LP: Rafelin Nivar (0-1, 9.00) BOX SCORE CLEARWATER, FL – A walkoff double by Devin Saltiban sealed the doubleheader for the Clearwater Threshers (39-23) winning game one 9-4 and game two 5-4 over the Tampa Tarpons (23-39) on Saturday night at BayCare Ballpark.
GAME ONE
WP: Jaydenn Estanista (1-0, 4.03)
LP: Rafelin Nivar (0-1, 9.00)
CLEARWATER, FL – A walkoff double by Devin Saltiban sealed the doubleheader for the Clearwater Threshers (39-23) winning game one 9-4 and game two 5-4 over the Tampa Tarpons (23-39) on Saturday night at BayCare Ballpark. The Threshers go for the series win when they return on Sunday.
Game one began on Friday evening, with rain suspending the game after two batters walked with two outs in the top of the third inning. Tampa hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning to open the scoring when the game resumed on Saturday.
Bryson Ware led off the fifth with a solo home run off Tarpons reliever Rafelin Nivar to put the Threshers on the board. Diego González reached on an error, Jared Thomas walked, and Avery Owusu-Asiedu loaded the bases with a bunt single. Saltiban stroked a single into left to score two and give the Threshers a 3-2 lead after five frames.
The Tarpons hit a leadoff home run to start the sixth and tie the game at three apiece. Pierce Bennett led off the sixth with a walk and stole second. He scored on an RBI single by Ware to give the Threshers back a one-run lead.
Owusu-Asiedu smacked a leadoff double to start the seventh and scored on a Viars single to double the Threshers lead. Saltiban and Bennett walked the bases loaded before Raylin Heredia broke the game open with a grand slam to make it 9-3.
The first two batters of the top of the eighth doubled to put the Tarpons within five runs. The Threshers struck out three of four batters in the ninth to seal the game one win 9-4.
Enrique Segura got the start on Friday, tossing 3.2 shutout innings with two hits, three walks and four strikeouts in a no-decision. Jaydenn Estanista allowed three runs on two hits in 3.1 innings of work, walking three and striking out two. Jonh Henriquez allowed one run on two hits in 2.0 innings with three strikeouts. Drew Garrett struck out three batters and walked one in a scoreless and hitless ninth.
GAME TWO
WP: Jonathan Petit (2-0, 4.43)
LP: Juan Sanchez (0-1, 0.00)
Game two stayed scoreless until the fourth, when a solo home run started the scoring for Tampa on the first pitch of the top fourth. They added another run on an RBI double to make it 2-0. With one out in the home half of the fourth, Tarpons starter Cade Smith walked four batters in a row, with Raylin Heredia getting the RBI walk to cut Tampa’s lead in half. Nikau-Pouaka Grego sent a 2-1 pitch to right that plated two runs and gave the Threshers their first lead of the game. Ware plated the fourth run of the inning on a double in the next at-bat to extend the Threshers advantage to 4-2.
An RBI double in the top of the sixth cut the Threshers advantage to one run. A balk call with a runner on third allowed the tying run to score for the Tarpons in the top of the seventh. The Threshers loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning, but failed to score, sending the game into extra innings.
No runs were scored in the first two frames of extras, but with AJ Shaver starting the tenth on second, Saltiban roped a double to right-center to secure a 5-4 walkoff win for the Clearwater Threshers.
Brandon Beckel tossed 3.0 shutout frames, allowing two hits and one walk with one strikeout in a no-decision. Ethan Chenault allowed two runs on two hits in 2.0 innings of work, walking one and striking out five. Jose Peña surrendered one run on two hits with three strikeouts in 1.0 inning. Saul Teran allowed one run on one walk with one strikeout in 1.0 inning. Jonathan Petit (2-0) earned the win in 3.0 shutout innings with three strikeouts and one hit allowed.
Two of the Segura's three outs recorded as a Thresher were pickoffs to first...Heredia hit the Threshers third grand slam of the season...All three slams have been at home...Estanista earned his first win of the season...Game two was the fourth walkoff win of the season for the Threshers...Saturday was the first doubleheader of the season where the Threshers won both games...Avery Owusu-Asiedu and Diego González came on as pinch-runners...The Threshers conclude a six-game series against the Tampa Tarpons on Sunday, June 16...First pitch will be at 12:00 PM at BayCare Ballpark...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.