Threshers Rally In Ninth for Walk-Off Victory Over Marauders, 5-4

BOX SCORE

CLEARWATER, FL - Despite trailing 4-3 in the ninth, the Clearwater Threshers rallied back to walk-off the Bradenton Marauders 5-4 to open the final six-game series of the regular season on Tuesday night at BayCare Ballpark.

Right-hander Estibenzon Jimenez made his second start for Clearwater on the mound, allowing only one hit with eight strikeouts in five impressive innings of work.

The Threshers (22-38, 57-68) opened the scoring in the second inning on a solo home run by Dakota Kotowski. It was Kotowski's first homer at the single-A level and traveled 439 feet out to left-center field.

Leading 1-0 in the fifth, the Threshers pushed home two more runs on an RBI single by Cade Fergus and a bases loaded walk by Jamari Baylor to make it 3-0. Baylor has reached base at least once in 15 consecutive games.

The Marauders (35-26, 64-62) scratched one run home off right-handed reliever Josh Bortka in the sixth as Jack Brannigan roped an RBI single into left to trim the deficit.

After righty Orion Kerkering entered in the top of the ninth trying to preserve the save, Bradenton loaded the bases and exploded for four straight hits and pushed home three runs on a two-run double by Tres Gonzalez and an RBI sac-fly by Sergio Campana to grab a late 4-3 lead.

Trailing 4-3 in the bottom of the ninth, the Threshers put two runners on with one out before Baylor doubled home the tying-run and Erick Brito chopped a ball to the second baseman that allowed the game-winning run to score and give the Threshers' a 5-4 walk-off victory.

Clearwater and Bradenton meet again in game two of the six-game set on Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m. Righty Alex McFarlane (0-2, 10.80 ERA) is scheduled to start for the home team, with coverage on the Threshers Broadcasting Network set to begin at 6:20 p.m.