Ferrara Homers, Smacks Four Hits in Third Straight Win

WP: Jacob Pruitt (1-0, 3.00)

LP: Brayden Heidel (0-1, 4.76)

BOX SCORE

DUNEDIN, FL – Matthew Ferrara became the first player on the Clearwater Threshers (6-4) to record four hits and four RBIs in a game this season as the Threshers took down the Dunedin Blue Jays (5-5) 9-7 on Tuesday night at TD Ballpark. Clearwater hopes to keep the bats hot when they return to Dunedin on Wednesday.

The Threshers got on the board early, beginning their rally in the opening frame with an infield hit by Griffin Burkholder. He moved to second when Alirio Ferrebus followed with another hit, and both advanced to third on a grounder that became out number two. With two outs in the inning, Matthew Ferrara blooped a single into shallow right field that dunked in for a hit, allowing Burkholder and Ferrebus to score and open the scoring 2-0 in favor of the Threshers.

Another two-out rally began in the third inning when Will Vierling drew a walk. Ferrara sent another single into right field, and Juan Villavicencio worked a two-out walk to load the bases. After Jaeden Calderon worked the count full, he sent a 3-2 pitch into the right-centerfield gap. All three runners scored, and Calderon slid safely into third with a bases-clearing triple to extend the lead to five runs. Dunedin cut the deficit to four runs on a solo homer in the bottom of the third.

The Threshers answered with back-to-back hits in the sixth, beginning with a two-out single by Ferrara. On a 2-2 count, Villavicencio followed by crushing a line drive to the right field wall, plating Ferrara from first on the RBI triple to increase Clearwater’s lead back to five runs. Once again, Dunedin answered with a solo homer in the bottom half of the fifth, bringing their deficit back to four runs. After Ferrebus was hit by a pitch and stole second base, Ferrara struck again, this time with a towering two-run homer over the left field wall to put the Threshers up by six. In the home half of the inning, Blue Jays first-rounder JoJo Parker crushed a two-run shot of his own to cut the Threshers’ lead back to four runs. Nathan Humphreys answered with a solo home run with two outs in the eighth to expand the lead back to five.

Dunedin posted three more runs in the final two innings, but even a two-run homer in the ninth wasn’t enough to complete the comeback, as the Threshers held on for a 9-7 win.

Tanner Gresham tossed 3.0 innings, allowing one run on two hits with one walk and five strikeouts in a no-decision. Jacob Pruitt surrendered one run on two hits with one walk and three strikeouts. Michael Mercado struck out one and retired all three batters he faced in 1.0 scoreless and hitless inning. Christian McGowan surrendered two runs on one hit and struck out two. Camron Hill surrendered one run with two walks and one strikeout. Marty Gair allowed two runs on one hit with one walk and two strikeouts.

The Threshers scored in the first inning for the first time since game one of their opening day doubleheader...Ferrara’s home run was his first away from BayCare Ballpark...Humphreys has homered in back-to-back games...Gresham has struck out the side in the first inning of both of his first two starts...All of the Threshers’ runs were scored with two outs in the inning...The Threshers continue their first six-game road series against the Dunedin Blue Jays on Wednesday, April 15...First pitch on Wednesday evening will take place at 6:30 pm...You can purchase Threshers tickets at ThreshersBaseball.com/tickets or by calling 727-467-4457…The BayCare Ballpark Box Office is open Monday through Friday from 10 am – 5 pm...The box office will be open on Saturdays from 10 am - 3 pm...Visit our website at threshersbaseball.com for information on tickets and promotions for the Threshers season.