Four-Run Fourth Not Enough as Threshers Walk-Off Bradenton in Ninth Inning

CLEARWATER, FL — Jordan Viars walked with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Threshers a 5-4 victory over the Bradenton Marauders on Thursday night at BayCare Ballpark.

With a tie game at four, Pierce Bennett singled to put the winning run-on base with one out. Peyton Stumbo (0-2) walked two of the next three batters to load the bases with two outs for Jordan Viars. Viars who clubbed the game-tying solo-home run in the eighth, worked a full count walk to bring in the winning run.

Clearwater jumped ahead in the first inning against Antwone Kelly. After a two-out walk to Kehden Hettiger, Bennett laced a double down the right field line to score Hettiger and give the Threshers a 1-0 lead.

Bradenton roared back with a four-run fourth inning against Threshers’ starter Braydon Tucker. Jeral Toledo starting the offense with an infield single hit to Aidan Miller who threw the ball away to give second base to Toledo. The next batter, Garret Forrester, doubled off the wall in right field to score Toledo and tie the game at one. Later in the inning after Esmerlyn Valdez was hit by a pitch, Juan Jerez doubled home two more runs to give Bradenton their first lead of the night at 3-1. Justin Miknis singled in Jerez to close out the inning and make it 4-1 Marauders.

The Threshers chipped into the deficit in the fourth plating a pair of unearned runs against Kelly. Devin Saltiban began the frame reaching on an error before Keaton Anthony singled to right field. With a fielding miscue in the outfield, Anthony reached third base and Saltiban scored to make it 4-2 Marauders. Bryson Ware later scored Anthony on a groundout to shortstop to trim the Bradenton lead to 4-3.

After Kelly went the first four innings, Connor Oliver fired 2.2 scoreless frames out of the bullpen. Stumbo then entered with a runner on second base and two outs in the seventh. He struck out Anthony to end the threat. Jake Eddington (2-0) tossed two scoreless frames out of the bullpen for the Threshers to pick up the win.

Eight of the first 18 games for the Marauders this season have been decided by just one run.

Forrester finished the night 2-for-4 with a double, RBI, and run to extend his on-base streak to six games. Over that stretch, the Marauders infielder is 8-for-20 with three doubles, three RBIs, and a run.

The Marauders and Threshers continue their six-game series on Friday night at BayCare Ballpark. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., with pregame coverage beginning at 6:10 p.m. on the Marauders Broadcast Network. Bradenton will send RHP Carlson Reed (0-1, 2.45) to the mound, while the Threshers will turn to RHP George Klassen (2-0, 0.00)