WP: Manuel Colon (1-0, 3.38)
LP: Brent Francisco (8-3, 5.03)
SV: Luis Avila (2)
FORT MYERS, FL – Phillies second-round draft pick Caden Bogenpohl set new career highs with four runs and four RBIs as the Clearwater Threshers (64-46, 24-20) earned their first win of the series in a 12-10 victory over the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (61-49, 24-21) on Friday night at Hammond Stadium at Lee Health Sports Complex. The Threshers look to build off the victory when they return to Fort Myers on Saturday.
After the first out in the top of the first inning, Matthew Ferrara was hit by a pitch from Mighty Mussels starter Cristian Hernandez. He stole second and advanced to third on a balk before Bogenpohl drove him home with an RBI single to plate the game’s first run. The rally spilled over to the second inning when Reece Moroney rocketed a ground-rule double to straightaway center on the first pitch of the top half of the frame. A one-out double from Will Vierling brought Moroney around to score, doubling the Threshers’ lead. With two outs in the inning, Ferrara smacked a single to right that scored Vierling from second for the Threshers’ third run of the game.
Fort Myers tied up the game with three runs in the bottom of the second to even the score at three apiece. The Threshers retook the lead in the top of the third inning after a one-out single by Nolan Beltran. Moroney followed by working the count full against Fort Myers hurler Brent Francisco before sending a double to right-centerfield that scored Beltran from first, giving the Threshers back a one-run advantage. Fort Myers got the run back on their second RBI triple of the night to square the game at four.
Vierling led off the top of the fourth inning with a double off the left field wall. After advancing to third on a groundout, a sacrifice fly to right from Ferrara returned the lead to Clearwater at 5-4. Will Gasparino began a huge inning for the Threshers by leading off the top of the fifth inning with a double of his own. Beltran and Moroney each followed with walks to load the bases. Matt Quintanar drove in the first run of the frame with the single, but the bases stayed loaded for Vierling. He smacked his third double of the game to drive in two more, plating Beltran and Moroney on the two-bagger. After the second out, Ferrara drove in Quintanar on a base hit before Bogenpohl capped off a seven-run frame with a three-run blast out to right field, extending the Threshers’ lead to eight runs.
Fort Myers got two runs back in the home half of the fifth to cut the deficit to six runs. Three more runs halved the deficit in the seventh inning to cut the Threshers’ lead to 12-9. Another Fort Myers run in the bottom of the eighth cut the lead to two runs to take the game into the ninth inning. Fort Myers led off the ninth with a hit, but Vierling caught the runner stealing shortly after. Luis Avila shut the door and retired the final two batters to seal a 12-10 Threshers win.
Yordanis Guerra surrendered six runs on six hits with four walks and one strikeout in 4.1 innings of a no-decision. Angel Liranzo allowed three runs on four hits with two walks and three strikeouts in 2.1 innings. Manuel Colon (1-0) gave up one run on one hit with one walk and two strikeouts in 0.2 innings of work to earn the win. Luis Avila picked up the save by holding Fort Myers scoreless in the final 1.2 frames, striking out one and giving up one hit.
Moroney’s first professional hit was a double on the first pitch of the second inning...His second pro hit, also a double, gave him his first career RBI...Bogenpohl has three multi-hit games through his first nine as a professional...Clearwater scored at least one run on at least one hit in each of the first three innings...Bogenpohl’s home run in the fifth was the third-hardest hit ball in minor league baseball this season...Clearwater set a new season-high with 16 hits on Friday...The Threshers will continue a six-game road series against the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels on Saturday, August 15...First pitch on Saturday evening will take place at 6:05 pm...You can purchase Threshers tickets at ThreshersBaseball.com/tickets or by calling 727-467-4457…The BayCare Ballpark Box Office is open Monday through Friday from 10 am – 5 pm...The box office will be open on Saturdays from 10 am - 3 pm...Visit our website at threshersbaseball.com for information on tickets and promotions for the Threshers season.