WP: Brad Pacheco (6-5, 3.86)
LP: Manuel Genao (3-4, 4.24)
JUPITER, FL – For the second night in a row, the Clearwater Threshers (58-39, 18-13) put up double-digit runs in a 16-8 victory over the Jupiter Hammerheads (48-50, 11-21) on Wednesday night at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. The Threshers hope to keep the bats hot as they look for their sixth-straight win on Thursday.
After the first out of the inning, Mark Kolozsvary singled up the middle for the Threshers’ first hit of the game. A double by Nolan Beltran sent him to third base before a walk to Jonathan Hogart loaded the bases. After the second out, TJayy Walton took a 3-2 pitch into center field, plating Kolozsvary and Beltran to open the scoring. Hogart advanced to third on the single and scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-0 Threshers after the opening frame.
Victor Cardoza continued the rally with a base hit on the first pitch of the second inning. Walks to Robert Phelps and Beltran loaded the bases, and a sacrifice fly by Jonathan Hogart allowed Cardoza to score the Threshers’ fourth run. Jupiter stormed back with two runs in the bottom of the second and another run in the third to cut the Threshers’ lead to one run. But Cardoza helped the Threshers get some runs back with another leadoff single to start the fourth inning. He advanced to second on an error before a single by Phelps. Kolozsvary drew a walk to load the bases with no one out, but a fielder’s choice got Cardoza out at home for the first out of the inning.
After Beltran hit into a fielder’s choice, Hogart plated Phelps with a single, keeping the bases loaded. After the second out, Walton walked in a run with the bases loaded for the Threshers’ second run of the frame. Will Vierling led off the fifth inning with a solo home run to bring back the largest lead of the night for the Threshers at four runs. Cardoza singled on the next pitch before back-to-back walks to Phelps and Kolozsvary loaded the bases again. Beltran lifted a fly ball to center field that plated Cardoza and gave the Threshers a five-run advantage.
Hogart led off the eighth inning with a double before back-to-back walks to Matthew Ferrara and Walton loaded the bases. Romeli Espinosa hit a fly ball to deep left field for a sacrifice fly to plate the first run of the frame. Ferrara advanced to third on the sac fly and scored on a balk by Hammerheads reliever Janero Miller before Vierling’s at-bat that moved Walton to third. After the second out, Cardoza struck out on a wild pitch, and Jupiter’s catcher, Jeremy Almonte, was unable to complete the throw to first, allowing Walton to score from third on the dropped third strike. That prompted a pitching change for the Hammerheads, who brought in Ramon Sanchez.
But the rally continued for the Threshers, as Phelps was hit by a pitch and Kolozsvary walked to load the bases, moving Cardoza to third base. He scored on a wild pitch by Sanchez that moved Phelps and Kolozsvary into scoring position. Both runners scored on a two-out single by Nolan Beltran that pushed the Threshers’ lead into double digits. The eight-run eighth was capped off by a two-run home run from Jonathan Hogart that made it 16-3. The Hammerheads rallied for five runs in the final two innings, but it was too little, too late as the Threshers held on for a 16-8 win.
Brad Pacheco (6-5) surrendered three runs (one earned) on five hits and one walk with seven strikeouts in 6.0 innings to earn the win. Luis Avila allowed one unearned run in 2.0 innings of work, walking one batter with one strikeout. Peyton Havard gave up four unearned runs in the ninth inning, finishing off the final frame with three hits allowed.
The Threshers put up an eight-run inning for the second night in a row...Wednesday’s win marked the second time in eight games at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium this season that the Threshers scored 16 runs...The Threshers have scored 31 runs on 27 hits in the first two games of this series...Clearwater has their two highest scoring inning and game totals against the Hammerheads this year...Everyone in Clearwater’s starting lineup either scored or drove in at least one run...Walton tied his season high with three RBIs for the second time in the last four games...The Threshers will continue a six-game road series against the Jupiter Hammerheads on Thursday, July 30...First pitch on Thursday evening will take place at 6:30 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.