Walton Drives in Five to Clinch Series 

WP: Braydon Tucker (1-0, 2.08)

LP: Wilker Reyes (0-1, 0.00)

SV: Saul Teran (2)

CLEARWATER, FL – A TJayy Walton three-run home run gave the Clearwater Threshers (6-3) the lead in the fifth and they never looked back, clinching the first home series with a 5-3 win over the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (4-5) on Sunday afternoon at BayCare Ballpark. The Threshers have Monday off before beginning a six-game road series against the Dunedin Blue Jays on Tuesday evening.

Bryson Ware and Trent Farquhar singled off Mighty Mussels starter Paulshawn Pasqualotto to start off the Sunday matinee with a pair of hits. With two outs in the first inning, Walton laced a double down the left-field line plate them both and give the Threshers an early 2-0 lead. Fort Myers came back with three two-out runs in the top of the second to take the lead 3-2.

With one out in the fifth inning, Trent Farquhar reached on a throwing error by Mighty Mussels catcher Poncho Ruiz. He moved to second on a walk to Jordan Viars with two outs in the inning. The next batter was TJayy Walton, and he smoked the second pitch he saw from Fort Myers reliever Wilker Reyes to deep left for a go-ahead home run that returned the lead to Clearwater at 5-3.

The Threshers bullpen continued their dominance, not allowing a hit in the final 4.0 innings to seal a 5-3 win and clinch the opening series.

Mavis Graves allowed three runs on three hits with two walks and three strikeouts in 1.2 innings and a no-decision. Braydon Tucker (1-0) tossed 4.1 scoreless innings of relief, allowing two hits and one walk with three strikeouts to earn the win. Drew Garrett struck out one and walked one in 1.0 shutout frame. Ethan Chenault pitched 1.0 1-2-3 inning with a strikeout, and Saul Teran earned the save by striking out the side in the ninth.

Tucker became the first Threshers reliever to top 3.0 innings out of the bullpen in 2024...He has gone 2.0 or more innings in all three of his outings...Walton’s homer was the first of his professional career...He drove in a career-high five RBIs, the most by a Thresher this season...Caicuto reached base for the fifth-straight game to start the season...Teran has recorded six strikeouts in his two saves this year...The Threshers begin a six-game road series against the Dunedin Blue Jays on Tuesday, April 16th with a 6:05 PM first pitch...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.