Clearwater Wraps Up First Half With 3-2 Loss to St. Lucie

CLEARWATER, Fla. - The Clearwater Threshers finished the first half of the 2019 season with a 3-2 loss to the St. Lucie Mets on Thursday night at Spectrum Field. The two teams split the four-game set in Clearwater entering the All-Star break.

Clearwater (36-30) jumped out to a 2-0 lead off a two-run single from newcomer Jack Conley in the fourth inning, but immediately surrendered the lead in the top of the fifth.
Ethan Evanko (3-2) got two quick outs to start the inning, but an error at third by Matt Kroon on a hard-hit ball by Yoel Romero kept the inning alive. Blake Tiberi poked an infield single to the left side, and Jacob Zanon sent the first pitch of his second at-bat over the wall in left to put the home team in a 3-2 deficit.
Evanko finished the night with six innings under his belt to record his third consecutive quality start. The southpaw allowed all three unearned runs on four hits, a walk and six strikeouts. The Grand Canyon product is 1-2 over his last three starts, but has allowed only six runs - three earned.
Kevin Smith (4-4) kept the Threshers off the board in the fifth to help lead to his fourth win of the season. The lefty allowed two runs on three hits and five punch outs.
St. Lucie's (32-34) bullpen scattered four baserunners through the final four frames, but locked down the top offense in the league to secure the series split.
Ezequiel Zabata (SV, 4) earned his fourth save in as many tries for the visitors, striking out two of the four batters in the bottom of the ninth.
Clearwater takes the next three days off for the 2019 All-Star break, and returns to action to kick off the second half against the Bradenton Marauders on June 17 at LECOM Park. It has yet to be determined who will toe the slab for either side. First pitch for game one of the three-game set is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., with coverage beginning at 6:15 p.m. with Threshers Live! The Pre-game Show.