Hip Hip, Jose! Colmenares’ grand slam puts game on ice

TAMPA, Fla. - The bats finally came alive for the Tampa Tarpons (20-21), who posted nine runs to take down the Clearwater Threshers (27-14) Saturday night at George M. Steinbrenner Field. The right side of the infield came up big for Tampa; 1B Kiko Romero and 2B Jose Colmenares both blasted long balls en route to the win while driving in six of the team’s runs.

Hudson Valley may be known for its exquisite wine tastings, but RHP Sean Hermann (5.0IP, 6H, 2R, ER, BB, 8K) got a taste of something else on his trip north. Hermann got a taste of High-A baseball in his last start, tossing five innings of one-run ball in a spot start with the Renegades. In his return to Tampa, Hermann continued his dominance. He used a two-pitch mix consisting of his sinker and slider. Each pitch racked up four strikeouts, while the slider was the true swing-and-miss pitch, generating a whiff percentage of 57%.

Clearwater struck first in the second inning. Cole Moore reached on a throwing error and advanced to second on a base knock from William Bergolla. Moore came around to score on an RBI single to center field from Ryan Leitch.

LF Coby Morales started Tampa’s two-out rally in the third, lacing a 102.7 MPH double to the left field wall. C Omar Martinez kept the inning going with a nine-pitch walk. Both runners advanced on a balk and came home to score when DH Josh Moylan gave the Tarpons the lead with a single to right field.

After Leitch picked up his second single of the night in the fourth, he moved up ninety feet on a wild pitch. He scored to tie the game when Chad Castillo dropped a single over the glove of 3B Beau Brewer. The ball was in no man's land, and Brewer attempted an over-the-shoulder catch on a slide, but he could not come up with the ball as Leitch crossed to knot the game at two.

One swing was all it took to put Tampa back on top. Romero broke the tie in the fifth, blasting his first professional home run over the fence in right-center. The crowd erupted as they watched the ball leave Romero’s bat at 101.7 MPH.

RF Tayler Aguilar got plunked to start the home half of the sixth. SS Brenny Escanio singled through the shortstop hole, and Brewer walked to load the bases. Colmenares worked a full count when the home plate umpire, Conor Crowell, punched him out. Colmenares did not agree with the call, so he tapped his helmet for an ABS challenge, and the call was overturned for an RBI walk. With the bases still juiced, a balk brought home the second run of the inning.

Fresh off the bench, Clearwater called on Troy Schreffler to pinch hit in the seventh, and he delivered. Schreffler poked a home run over the short porch to pull Clearwater within two.

Tampa loaded the bases without a hit in the home half of the seventh. A hit-by-pitch and two walks loaded the bases for Colmenares. He busted the floodgates wide open, launching a grand slam off the left field foul pole. Colmenares admired the grand slam, tossing his bat into orbit before sprinting around the bases.

The Tarpons will host the Threshers for the series finale tomorrow at GMS Field. RHP Ryan Harvey will take the ball with first pitch at noon.