Threshers Walk off Mighty Mussels to Seal Doubleheader Sweep

WP: Sean Youngerman (4-7, 5.02)

LP: Cristian Hernandez (0-1, 4.91)

BOX SCORE

CLEARWATER, FL – After cruising to a 9-3 win in game one of the doubleheader, the Clearwater Threshers (72-54, 32-28) scored all six of their runs in the final inning of a 6-5 comeback win over the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels, sweeping the doubleheader on Thursday night at BayCare Ballpark. The Threshers can clinch the series win when they return to Clearwater for a Friday night rematch with Fort Myers.

Reece Moroney singled on the first pitch of the first game and advanced to second when Tyler Spangler drew a walk against Fort Myers starter Cristian Hernandez. A single by Will Gasparino loaded the bases before the first out in the inning. Macon Winslow followed with a grounder to first base, but Moroney scored the Threshers’ first run from third base on the second out in the inning. During Jonathan Hogart’s at-bat, Spangler raced home on a wild pitch to double the Threshers’ lead. Matthew Ferrara led off the bottom of the second inning with a single, and stole second and third base on the next two pitches. Tyler Minnick singled him in with a line-drive base hit to left field to make it 3-0 Threshers.

Fort Myers picked up a run in the top of the third inning, getting on the board in a two-run deficit. The Threshers responded in a big way in the bottom of the fourth, beginning a rally with a one-out single to right field by Moroney. Spangler followed with a base hit before Gasparino was hit by a pitch to load the bases. A single by Nolan Beltran drove in the first run, plating Moroney from second but keeping the bases loaded. After the second out in the frame, a single by Hogart plated two more Threshers to make it 6-1. With Hogart on first and Beltran on third, Ferrara drew a two-out walk to load the bases. Minnick was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to score Beltran for the fourth run of the frame.

Victor Cardoza and Moroney each drew bases-loaded walks in the next two at-bats to make it 9-1 Threshers after four innings. Neither team was able to score in the fifth, and the game went into a rain delay as the top of the sixth was about to begin. After a delay of over one hour, Fort Myers got two runs back in the top of the sixth to cut the deficit to six runs. The final four batters were sent down in order, and the Threshers took game one 9-3.

Sean Youngerman (4-7) earned the win in 5.0 innings, allowing one run on three hits with three strikeouts. Jacob Pruitt surrendered two runs on two hits with two walks and two strikeouts in 1.0 inning. Brendan Sweeney struck out one batter and retired all three batters he faced in the seventh inning with one strikeout.

GAME TWO BOX SCORE

WP: Richie Cortese (2-1, 2.25)

LP: Jake Covey (3-1, 2.12)

After the first game, Fort Myers jumped out to a three-run lead after hitting two home runs in the top of the second. They added two more in the fifth to bring their lead to five runs. Jack Hopko led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a groundball to the shortstop that was bobbled by Quentin Young, allowing Hopko to reach on the error. Lane Haworth walked, and Victor Cardoza singled to load the bases after the first out of the frame. Two pitches later, Reece Moroney singled in the Threshers’ first run to make it 5-1. After a wild pitch scored Haworth from third, Matthew Ferrara added another run with an RBI single.

Ferrara promptly stole second base before the second out of the inning, putting runners on second and third. Cade Climie battled through a 1-2 count to tie the game with a single to right field, scoring Moroney and Ferrara. Hopko came to the plate for the second time in the inning and delivered a base hit to center field, scoring Climie from second and sealing the comeback. With six hits and six runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, the Threshers came all the way back to seal a 6-5 win and sweep the doubleheader.

Zuher Yousuf allowed three runs on five hits with one walk and four strikeouts in 4.0 innings of a no-decision. Kyler Carmack struck out three batters but allowed two runs on one hit with three walks in 1.0 inning. Elias Holbert struck out two and allowed one hit in 1.0 scoreless inning. Richie Cortese (2-1) earned the win in 1.0 scoreless and hitless seventh, walking one and striking out two.

Minnick picked up his first career hit and RBI in his first professional at-bat in game one...Spangler has hit safely in four consecutive games...Hogart’s two RBIs in the fourth gave him the most by a Thresher since moving to Single-A in 2021...Gasparino reached base safely in all five plate appearances he had in game one...Holbert earned his first career strikeout in the top of the sixth inning...Clearwater earned their sixth walkoff win of the year...The Threshers will continue their final homestand of the season against the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels on Friday, September 4...First pitch on Friday 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.