Threshers Toss Combined No-Hitter to Win Series Over Daytona

CLEARWATER, Fla. - - The Clearwater Threshers pitching staff turned in their best performance of the year, combining to no-hit the Daytona Tortugas in a 5-0 win on Saturday night at Spectrum Field.

The combined no-hitter was the first nine-inning feat for the Threshers (41-31, 5-1) since 2016. It was started by the strong performance of Kyle Glogoski (1-0), who dazzled in his Clearwater debut. The 20-year-old pitched five frames with just two walks and five strikeouts. The native of New Zealand picked up his fourth overall win in 2019.
Daytona (37-34, 2-4) threatened with a runner in scoring position just once against the starter when Drew Mount reached second base in the third. The right-hander retired the next two batters to erase the threat. After setting down the Tortugas in the fifth, Clearwater's offense found a way to back their starter in the bottom half.
Dalton Guthrie led off the frame with a double against Wendolyn Bautista (0-2). Simon Muzziotti's RBI single to right gave the Philadelphia Phillies' affiliate a 1-0 advantage. A batter later, Jhailyn Ortiz blasted his 12^th long-ball of the year to plate Muzziotti and push the lead to 3-0.
Ortiz continued his hot streak at the plate, hitting his fifth home run of the second half. The No. 11 prospect for the Phillies (MLB.com) boosted his team leading long-ball total to 12. Ortiz ranks fourth in Florida State League in round trippers, and is tied for fourth in RBIs with 41.
It was up to the bullpen to keep Daytona off the board after that. Tyler Carr entered in the sixth and completed three frames with four strikeouts to keep the Tortugas hitless entering the ninth.
The Threshers added runs in the seventh and eighth, with an RBI fielder's choice from Rodolfo Duran and a run scoring infield hit from Nick Maton respectively. Duran plated Maton in the seventh with a groundball at short for a 4-0 lead. Maton's chopper found space on the infield to plate Guthrie to make Clearwater's lead 5-0.
With Daytona down to its final three outs, lefty Keylan Killgore entered with a chance to finish off the no-hitter. The Wichita State product struck out MLB rehabber Scooter Gennett looking for the first out. Stuart Fairchild lined out to Ben Aklinski to bring Daytona to its final out. With an 0-1 count, Jonathan India drove a Killgore curveball to right that Matt Vierling squeezed to finish off the combined no-hitter.
With the win, Clearwater improved to 5-1 in the second half and won its fourth straight game. The no-hit effort was the first for the Philadelphia Phillies' affiliate in a nine-inning contest since three pitchers combined for the feat against St. Lucie in July 2016. The Threshers also improved to 8-3 over the Cincinnati Reds' affiliate in 2019.
Clearwater aims for the series sweep over Daytona in the finale of the four-game set on Sunday afternoon at Spectrum Field. RHP Colton Eastman (4-2 2.60) gets the ball for the Threshers against Tortuga LHP Wennington Romero (0-1 5.11). First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. with coverage beginning at 12:45 p.m. on Threshers Live! The Pregame Show on threshersbaseball.com.
Sunday's contest features Brunch at the Ballpark, a $17 presale ($21 walk-up) brunch ticket includes a club level seat for the game and buffet of eggs, breakfast meats, a carving station and more from 12 p.m.-2 p.m.