Clearwater Sweeps Double-Header

JUPITER, Fla. - The Clearwater Threshers swept a double-header with the Jupiter Hammerheads Tuesday night at Roger Dean Stadium. After a 2-1 win in 10 innings in game one, the Threshers downed the Hammerheads 7-3 in game two.

With a 1-0 lead in the top of the seventh inning of game one, Hammerheads' closer Nick Wittgren yielded a leadoff single to Clearwater's Aaron Altherr, who then stole second base. After a Kelly Dugan strikeout, Maikel Franco hit a ground-rule double to right-center field, scoring the game-tying run and sending game one of the double-header into extra innings.

Despite putting a runner on base in each of the seventh, eighth and ninth innings, the Hammerheads failed to push across the would-be game-winning run. The Threshers took the lead in the top of the tenth on a Carlos Alonso RBI single off of Hammerheads' reliever Kevin Cravey.

Clearwater's Juan Sosa pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the tenth for his first save of the season.

The extra-innings loss spoiled a fantastic outing from RHP Jose Urena, who pitched six innings of one-hit, shutout baseball, striking out five and walking none. Urena now owns a 1.86 ERA in five starts (29 innings) in home games this season.

Donovan Solano, Giancarlo Stanton and Joe Mahoney served as Jupiter's two, three and four hitters, respectively-all of them on Major League rehab assignment.

Solano went 3-for-3 and accounted for the Hammerheads' only run, an RBI single to center field in the fifth inning. 

Despite a 0-for-3 line, Stanton made good contact in all three at-bats, flying out once to deep left and twice to deep right, including a ball that would have bounced off the fence if not for a spectacular play by Threshers' right fielder Miguel Alvarez. 

Mahoney went 1-for-3 and is now batting .364 (8-for-22) in six rehab games with the Hammerheads this season.

Clearwater jumped on Jupiter starter RHP Jake Esch early in game two, tagging him for three runs in both the first and fourth innings. In his first start since May 22, Esch was charged with a season-high six earned runs on six hits and two walks. Despite the rough outing, his ERA remains a very respectable 3.46 through 26 innings this season.

Altherr's three-run monster home run onto the balcony of the Marlins' clubhouse in left field in the fourth inning highlighted a 10-hit offensive output for the Threshers in game two. He was also successful on the only stolen base attempt between both teams in Tuesday night's double-header, his team-leading 14th steal. 

Franco also starred on offense, going 3-for-4 with a double, two runs scored and an RBI. 

RHP Perci Garner scattered nine hits over 5.2 innings for Clearwater, giving up three runs (two earned) while striking out three. The win lifts him to 5-0 on the season with a 2.78 ERA.

Wilfredo Gimenez knocked in all three runs for Jupiter in game two: the first on an RBI single to shortstop in the fourth inning, the second and third on a two-run single to center field in the sixth. 

Austin Barnes (2-for-4) and Austin Nola (2-for-3) also had multi-hit games for the Hammerheads.

Brent Keys' eight-game hitting streak was snapped in game one of the double-header. He went 0-for-2 after replacing Giancarlo Stanton in right field in the top of the sixth inning. Keys came up empty again in game two, going 0-for-4 from the leadoff spot. His .345 batting average would lead the team if he had enough at-bats to qualify.

The Hammerheads will look to bounce back from a 0-2 deficit in the series when they throw LHP Justin Nicolino (2-1, 2.54 ERA) tomorrow night at Roger Dean Stadium. The Threshers will counter with LHP Hoby Milner (5-2, 4.06 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 6.35 p.m.

For more information on the Jupiter Hammerheads, Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Miami Marlins, please call (561) 775-1818 or visit JupiterHammerheads.com. For tickets and more information about Roger Dean Stadium, visit RogerDeanStadium.com.