WP: Jacob Pruitt (2-0, 1.50)
LP: Noah Takacs (0-2, 2.70)
SV: Camron Hill (1)
CLEARWATER, FL – After taking home his first FSL Player of the Week Honor, Matthew Ferrara provided three RBIs, including the game-tying single in the eighth, for the Clearwater Threshers (9-7) in a 7-5 comeback win over the Bradenton Marauders (6-10) on Tuesday night at BayCare Ballpark. The Threshers look to make it three straight wins in a Wednesday morning rematch.
Bradenton started the scoring in the third inning, plating four runs in the top half of the frame to take an early lead. Juan Villavicencio began a Threshers rally in the bottom half of the third with a leadoff single against Marauders starter Jeter Martinez. Alirio Ferrebus followed with a one-out single that moved Villavicencio to second base. On the very next pitch, Ferrara laced a double down the left-field line that plated both runners and cut the deficit to two runs.
The Marauders responded with a run in the top of the fifth inning to extend their lead to three runs. Ferrebus led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a ground-rule double. After the first out, he scored from second on a single by Nolan Beltran that cut the deficit to two runs once again. Clearwater’s rally continued into the eighth inning, when Nathan Humphreys drew a leadoff walk against Bradenton reliever Noah Takacs.
Villavicencio followed with a grounder to second, but the throw from newly entered second-baseman Antonio Pimentel sailed into left field, allowing both Humphreys and Villavicencio to advance an extra base to second and third. A groundout to short by Griffin Burkholder cut the deficit to one run and moved Villavicencio to third base. Ferrebus was hit by a pitch after Takacs was pulled from the game, and then Matthew Ferrara tied the game at five with an RBI single out to right-center field.
After the second out in the frame, Will Vierling gave the Threshers their first lead of the game with a base hit to right field that scored Ferrebus from second base. Jaeden Calderon followed with another single to right field, bringing home Ferrara to score and giving the Threshers a two-run lead heading into the ninth. Camron Hill came out for the ninth inning and made quick work of the Marauders, needing just seven pitches for all three outs to seal a 7-5 victory.
Gage Wood surrendered four runs on four hits in 2.1 innings, walking one and striking out four in a no-decision. Peyton Havard allowed one run on six hits in 3.2 innings, striking out six batters without walking one. Jacob Pruitt (2-0) surrendered two hits in 2.0 shutout innings with two strikeouts to earn the win. Camron Hill (1) took the save in the ninth, retiring all three batters he faced and striking out one.
At least one Threshers pitcher has struck out the side in each of the last four games...Hill recorded his first career save...Clearwater completed their largest comeback win of the season to date on Tuesday night...Ferrara has three or more hits in three of his past six games...All three of Vierling’s multi-hit games have come at BayCare Ballpark...The Threshers continue a six-game home series against the Bradenton Marauders on Wednesday, April 22...First pitch on Wednesday afternoon will take place at 12:00 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.