Beltran, Villavicencio Go Deep in Dominant Win

WP: James Tallon (1-0, 9.00)

LP: Jack Martinez (0-2, 2.95)

BOX SCORE

JUPITER, FL – Nolan Beltran recorded his second three-hit game of the season, and Juan Villavicencio hit his first home run of the year as the Clearwater Threshers (13-10) cruised to an 11-6 victory over the Palm Beach Cardinals (15-8) on Wednesday night at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. The Threshers look to grab at least a share of the series as they go for a third straight win on Thursday.

After a scoreless first inning, Villavicencio reached on an error to lead off the second. He immediately stole second before advancing to third on a groundout. During Jaeden Calderon’s at-bat, Cardinals starter Jack Martinez sailed a pitch over the catcher, allowing Villavicencio to race home with the Threshers’ first run. Calderon drew a walk before Manolfi Jimenez smoked a double down the right field line to plate Calderon from first. Jimenez scored on a two-out double by Nathan Humphreys to grow Clearwater’s advantage to three runs.

The first two batters reached for the Threshers in the third, with Nolan Beltran leading off the top half of the inning with a walk and a stolen base before Matthew Ferrara was hit by a pitch. With two strikes on him, Juan Villavicencio lifted a 1-2 pitch into the Threshers’ left-field bullpen to make it 6-1. Palm Beach added a run in the bottom of the fifth to cut the Threshers' lead to four runs.

Beltran led off the seventh with a single, quickly stealing second base. With two outs in the frame, Will Vierling clubbed a double down the right-field line that plated Beltran and gave Clearwater back a five-run lead. A two-out two-run double put the Cardinals within three runs, but the Threshers bullpen stranded two runners in scoring position to keep the score at 7-4 after seven innings. In the top of the eighth inning, Jimenez, Robert Phelps, and Humphreys all walked to load the bases before the first out in the frame. Alirio Ferrebus hit a deep fly ball that nearly left the yard in centerfield but allowed all three runners to tag after it was caught, plating Jimenez from third. The next batter, Nolan Beltran, deposited the very next pitch into the left field bullpen, and his three-run home run extended the Threshers' lead to seven runs.

Palm Beach cut into the deficit in the ninth, scoring two runs in the bottom of the ninth on a two-out single, but the Threshers held off the two-out rally to seal an 11-6 win in Palm Beach.

Zuher Yousuf surrendered one unearned run on four hits with two walks and five strikeouts in 4.0 innings of a no-decision. James Tallon (1-0) allowed one run on one hit with one walk and one strikeout in 1.0 inning to earn the win. Camron Hill surrendered two runs but did not allow a hit, walking three and striking out three in 1.1 innings. Keegan Batka surrendered one hit and struck out two batters in 1.2 innings without allowing an earned run. Gabe Craig pitched the ninth, surrendering two runs on two hits with one walk and two strikeouts in the final frame.

Yousuf has not allowed more than one run in any of his four starts for the Threshers...Villavicencio and Beltran hit their first homers away from BayCare Ballpark as a Thresher...Tallon earned his first career win in his minor league debut...Every Thresher in the lineup reached base at least once on Wednesday...Clearwater tied their season high with 12 hits in the victory...The 11-6 win was the largest margin of victory by the Threshers this season...The Threshers continue a six-game road series against the Palm Beach Cardinals on Thursday, April 30...First pitch on Thursday 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.