Tait’s Go-Ahead Homer Powers Threshers to Victory 

WP: Ryan Degges (1-0, 1.50)

LP: Dalvin Rosario (0-1, 3.38)

BOX SCORE

CLEARWATER, FL – The word of the day is clutch, as Eduardo Tait launched a home run in the eighth inning to seal a 5-4 victory for the Clearwater Threshers (5-3) over the Daytona Tortugas at BayCare Ballpark on Saturday night. The Threshers look for the series win in the Sunday afternoon finale.

Weston Wilson and Dante Nori led off the game by drawing walks off Tortugas' starter Kenya Huggins. During Nori’s at-bat, Wilson stole second and moved to third on a passed ball. After the first out in the bottom of the first inning, Aroon Escobar crushed the first pitch he saw out to left-center field, driving in the game's first two runs. Two batters later, Kodey Shojinaga rolled a single up the middle to plate Escobar from second and give the Threshers an early 3-0 lead.

Daytona answered swiftly in the second, plating three runs to tie the game in the top half of the inning. The game remained even at three until the fourth inning, when Kodey Shojinaga started a small rally with a one-out double. With two outs in the frame, Raider Tello hit a hard grounder up the middle for a base hit, plating Shojinaga and giving the Threshers a one-run lead.

The Tortugas got one back in the top of the seventh, tying the game at four before the stretch. Tait led off the eighth with a towering home run that gave the Threshers a one-run lead heading into the final frame. Daytona put the tying run in scoring position in the ninth, but Ryan Degges struck out the final three batters in the ninth to seal a 5-4 Threshers victory.

Marcus Morgan allowed three runs on one hit with four walks and three strikeouts in a no-decision. Gabriel Barbosa shut out the Tortugas in 3.1 innings, striking out one and allowing four hits. AJ Wilson struck out two of the three batters he faced in 1.0 scoreless and hitless inning. Ryan Degges (1-0) earned the win despite a blown save, allowing one run on four hits with one walk and seven strikeouts.

Escobar and Shojinaga extended their hitting streaks to six games in the first inning...They are now tied for the league lead in doubles with three...Degges earned the first victory of his professional career...Weston Wilson’s single in the seventh was the first hit of his rehab assignment...Two of Clearwater’s five RBIs came with two outs...The Threshers return home on Sunday, April 13, to conclude their first home series of the 2025 season against the Daytona Tortugas...The first pitch on Sunday afternoon will be at 12:00 pm...You can purchase Threshers tickets at ThreshersBaseball.com/tickets or by calling 727-467-4457…The Box Office at BayCare Ballpark is also open daily to purchase tickets…The hours are 10 AM-5 PM Monday through Friday and 10 AM-3 PM on Saturdays.