Stone Crabs power past Clearwater 12-4

CLEARWATER, Fla. (May 17, 2019) - The Stone Crabs bats exploded Friday, recording a season high 12 runs on 14 hits in a 12-4 win over the Clearwater Threshers at Spectrum Field.
The eight-run margin of victory was also the Stone Crabs' largest of the season.
Charlotte (21-20) scored early and often against Threshers starter Julian Garcia (2-3). In a scoreless game in the top of the second, Thomas Milone reached on an error before Moises Gomez singled to left to move Milone to second. The next batter was Tanner Dodson , who grounded a ball to first that was misplayed, allowing Milone to score and make it 1-0. Jim Haley then clobbered a three-run home run deep to left to clear the bases and give Charlotte a 4-0 lead.
Still up four in the top of the third, Vidal Brujan led off the inning by pulling a double over the first base bag. Ronaldo Hernandez then dropped a single into center before Chester chased home Brujan with a single to right. Leading 5-0, Milone then lined a three-run homer over the center field wall to cap the rally at 8-0 Stone Crabs.
Clearwater (19-21) battled back for two runs in the bottom of the third on two-out hits from Simon Muzziotti and Alec Bohm to make it 8-2. They tacked on two more in the fifth on a Bohm double to the right field corner.
Stone Crabs starter Tommy Romero (2-1) went five innings to get the win, allowing four runs on six hits while striking out four. Relievers Chandler Raiden and Jack Labosky turned in four shutout innings of relief to close out the win.
Up four in the sixth, Dodson lined a single to center before Haley pulled an RBI double down the third base line to score Dodson and make it 9-4.
Leading 9-4 in the top of the seventh, Hernandez led off with an infield single. After he moved to third on a walk and a hit by pitch, Clearwater pitcher Austin Ross uncorked a wild pitch, allowing Hernandez to score and make it 10-4.
The Stone Crabs tacked on two more runs in the ninth on a Chester double to left and a Gomez sacrifice fly.
Charlotte will search for the series win at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday. Paul Campbell (4-3, 5.09) makes the start for the Stone Crabs, against Ethan Evanko (0-0, 4.26) of the Threshers. Coverage begins at 6:15 p.m. on the Stone Crabs Baseball Network.