Miller's Offensive Outburst Ends in Late-inning Loss 

WP: Aaron Nixon (1-0, 2.87)

LP: Josh Bortka (0-1, 36.00)

SV: Ocean Gabonia (1)

BOX SCORE

TAMPA, FL – Despite a four-hit, four-RBI performance from Aidan Miller, the Clearwater Threshers (19-11) fell 9-8 in a late comeback win by the Tampa Tarpons (10-20) on Wednesday night at Steinbrenner Field. The Threshers look to even the series when they return to Tampa on Thursday evening.

Back-to-back two-out hits in the bottom of the first earned the first run of the game for the Tampa Tarpons. A one-out double by Nikau Pouaka-Grego off Tampa reliever Cade Smith started a rally for Clearwater, as Pouaka-Grego scored on a single by Dakota Kotowski to tie the game in the next at-bat. Two batters later, Miller ripped a double down the left-field line that plated Kotowski and gave the Threshers a 2-1 lead.

Kotowski reached on an error with two outs in the fifth inning, which proved costly for the Tarpons. Kehden Hettiger followed with a single to right-center that scored Kotowski from second, and Aidan Miller drilled a two-run homer to bring the Threshers advantage up to 5-1.

The Tarpons got two runs back in the home half of the fifth on a two-run homer that cut the Threshers lead to 5-3. Jordan Viars led off the sixth with a double to left and moved to third on a groundout. With two strikes on him, Jared Thomas sent a deep fly to left center that turned into a sacrifice fly, with Viars scoring from third on the tag to bring the Threshers lead back up to three.

Tampa added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth on a two-out single to cut the Threshers advantage to 6-5. Pouaka-Grego reached on an error to start the seventh and moved to second on a walk to Kotowski. He was tagged out at the plate on a fielder’s choice, but Miller drove in a run on a single to left-center which brought Kotowski home and gave the Threshers a 7-5 lead.

Clearwater’s lead evaporated in the eighth, with the Tarpons plating four runs on five hits to take a 9-7 lead. The first two Threshers batters reached in the eighth, with a walk to Devin Saltiban and a single for Jared Thomas that moved Saltiban to third. Raylin Heredia hit a sacrifice fly to deep right that scored Saltiban, bringing the Threshers back within one run.

Miller rocketed a two-out double in the ninth to give the Threshers a chance, but the Threshers couldn’t bring him home, falling 9-8 to the Tarpons.

Luke Russo surrendered three runs on six hits with three walks and seven strikeouts in 4.2 innings with a no-decision. Jose Peña allowed two runs on two hits with one walk and three strikeouts in 1.1 innings of work. Josh Bortka allowed four runs on five hits with one walk and two strikeouts in 1.0 inning. Chase Hopewell tossed a scoreless eighth with two hits allowed and one strikeout.

Miller smacked four hits in a game for the second time this season...He has hit two of his three home runs on the road...Miller’s four RBIs set a career-high...Only TJayy Walton has driven more runs in a single game (5)...Pouaka-Grego and Viars each extended their on-base streaks to eight games...Kotowski has five RBIs over the course of his five game hit streak...The Threshers continue a six-game series against the Tampa Tarpons on Thursday, May 9...First pitch will be at 6:30 PM at Steinbrenner Field...You can purchase tickets for the Threshers season at ThreshersBaseball.com/tickets or by calling 727-467-4457…The Box Office at BayCare Ballpark is also open daily to purchase Threshers tickets…The hours are 10 AM-5 PM Monday through Friday and 10 AM-3 PM on Saturdays.