Threshers rally in ninth to take down Tarpons, 5-4

TAMPA, Fla. - The Tampa Tarpons (10-21) took a one-run lead into the ninth inning; however, the Clearwater Threshers (20-11) rallied to score two runs in the top of the frame to take down the Tarpons at GMS Field. SS Roderick Arias scored two runs while picking up two hits and two RBI, including a triple during Thursday night’s loss.

LHP Allen Facundo (3.2IP, 7H, 3ER, 3BB, 4K, 1WP, 2HP) kept Tampa in the game despite not having his best stuff. Facundo primarily relied on his fastball, throwing it 44% of the time. His swing-and-miss pitch was his slider, recording a whiff rate of 43% on the pitch. The slider also had an average spin of 2715 RPM.

LF Jackson Castillo grounded a double over the glove of Keaton Anthony to start the first inning for the Tarpons. R. Arias started the scoring, lining a single to right field to score Castillo. With R. Arias in motion, 3B Dylan Jasso grounded a single right back up the middle, sending R. Arias to third. CF Willy Montero brought in Tampa’s second run of the inning, sending a SAC-fly to center field that scored R. Arias.

Clearwater rallied with two outs in the second. Raylin Heredia doubled over Montero’s head in center field, and then back-to-back walks loaded the bases for Aidan Miller. Miller got plunked by a slider to bring in the Threshers’ first run of the game.

Heredia squeezed his second double of the night down the right field line and into the right field corner with one away in the fourth. Avery Owusu-Asiedu immediately ripped another double down the left line, scoring Heredia to tie the game. Trent Farquhar reached on a throwing error, and Miller singled to give Clearwater a one-run advantage.

The Tarpons came back to take the lead in the fifth. Castillo singled to left field, and then R. Arias belted a game-tying triple to deep center field. With the go-ahead run looming on third, Jasso continued his hot hitting, blooping a go-ahead single into shallow center field, giving Tampa the lead, 4-3.

Devin Saltiban hustled out a double that deflected off of 2B Hans Montero's glove to begin the seventh. After advancing on a wild pitch, Tampa brought their infield in with the tying run on third base. Pierce Bennett bounced a grounder to R. Arias at short, who threw a dart to the plate to cut down the tying run.

After Tampa’s bullpen tossed four shutout innings, Clearwater got to RHP Osiel Rodriguez (L, 0-1) in the ninth. Anthony got hit by a pitch to start the inning and was replaced on the basepaths by pinch-runner Dakota Kotowski. Bennett wrapped a double into the right field corner, which brought Kotowski all the way home from first to tie the game. RF Daury Arias bobbled the ball in the corner, allowing Bennett to reach third base on his double. With Bennett on third, Bryson Ware brought in the go-ahead run and eventual winning run on a SAC-fly to right field.

The Tarpons have a rare Friday off day tomorrow but will be back at it against the Threshers on Saturday. RHP Josh Grosz is projected to start with first pitch at 12:00 p.m.