Threshers Win, but Tampa Takes Division

BRADENTON, Fla. - Cole Irvin spun a gem to lead the Threshers to a 5-4 win in the series finale at Bradenton, but Clearwater fell just short of the division title as the Tampa Yankees completed the sweep of the Florida Fire Frogs on Wednesday night.
Clearwater finished the first half with a 38-32 record, one game back of the Tampa Yankees (39-31). Tampa won seven-straight to snatch the first-half title in the FSL North. The Threshers spent 62 days in first place in the opening half, but conceded the division on the final day after Tampa went 12-5 in the month of June.
The Threshers earned the series win over Bradenton (37-30), who finished first-half play with the third-best record in the FSL.
Irvin matched a season-high with seven strong innings in the start for Clearwater, limiting the Marauders to just one run on five hits and a pair of walks. He racked up six strikeouts and threw 62 of his 93 pitches for strikes, lowering his ERA to 2.55.
The lone run the lefty conceded came in the fifth inning. Kevin Krause led off with a ground-rule double, and Casey Hughston singled him in to plate the night's first run.
After Taylor Hearn held the Threshers hitless through five innings, Clearwater leapt ahead against the Marauder bullpen in the sixth.
Mark Laird greeted Junior Montero (4-2) with a leadoff single, and Grenny Cumana followed with a four-pitch walk. One out later, Wilson Garcia crushed a one-strike offering out to the boardwalk in right for a three-run shot, putting Clearwater up 3-1.
The Threshers grabbed some crucial insurance in the seventh. Drew Stankiewicz drew a leadoff walk against Jake Brent, and Austin Bossart singled to put runners at the corners. A passed ball on Christian Kelley brought home Stankiewicz, and Laird's single to right-center scored Bossart to make ti 5-1.
Bradenton used the longball to pull to within one in the eighth, as Logan Ratledge lifted a solo shot and Jordan George added a two-run homer off Matt Hockenberry.
Jeff Singer entered and induced a groundout from Krause to end the eighth, before hurling a perfect ninth. He battled Ratledge for nine pitches before striking him out to end the game, earning his league-leading 14th save.
The second half will open on Thursday as the Threshers welcome in the Daytona Tortugas at 7 p.m. on Taps and Tacos Night. Jacob Waguespack (3-2) will take the hill against Wyatt Strahan (0-0), and the game will be broadcast live on threshersbaseball.com starting at 6:45 p.m.