JUPITER, Fla. - Colton Eastman picked up where Damon Jones left off, as the Cal State Fullerton product set a career-high with 11 strikeouts through seven one-hit innings in a 5-0 shutout over the Jupiter Hammerheads on Sunday afternoon. The whitewash completed the four-game sweep over the Miami Marlins affiliate
JUPITER, Fla. - Colton Eastman picked up where Damon Jones left off, as the Cal State Fullerton product set a career-high with 11 strikeouts through seven one-hit innings in a 5-0 shutout over the Jupiter Hammerheads on Sunday afternoon. The whitewash completed the four-game sweep over the Miami Marlins affiliate at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium, and moves the Threshers within 3.5 games of the Dunedin Blue Jays for the top spot in the Florida State League North heading into the league-wide off day on Monday.
Eastman (2-2) had things working from the start, as the right-hander struck out the first four batters before Nick Fortes flew out to left field. The Fresno native retired the first 10 batters when Riley Mahan reached on an error by Madison Stokes at first with one out in the fourth.
The 22-year-old set down the following six men - including punching out the side in the fifth - until a four-pitch walk to Samuel Castro.
After a double play off the bat of Connor Grant got Eastman out of the sixth, the starter struck out Mahan to begin the seventh to increase his total to 11. A grounder to second gave the 6-foot-3 hurler 6.2 no-hit innings, but a four-pitch free pass to Lazaro Alonso kept the inning alive for Fortes, who ripped a double to left for Jupiter's (13-34) first hit of the game.
Eastman became the second Clearwater (26-24) starter to last seven innings in a game this season, and tied Spencer Howard's team-high with the 11-strikeout performance in the winning effort.
Jhailyn Ortiz came through with another game-winning two-run hit on Sunday. After hitting the go-ahead two-run home run on Saturday, the slugger stroked a two-run double to right against Taylor Braley (0-3) in the third to get the Threshers on the board.
Stokes drove the runner home from second two batters later with a single to left to cap off the three-run third.
The visitors used a two-out rally in the sixth to provide extra breathing room when Ben Aklinski singled Matt Kroon up to second, and Daniel Brito drove the lead runner home with a single to left.
Jake Scheiner followed with an RBI knock through the hole on the left side to push across Aklinksi for the final tally of the day.
Zach Warren and Grant Dyer tossed the final two innings out of the bullpen. The duo surrendered just one hit and combined for three strikeouts.
Clearwater will take a break on Monday with the league-wide off day before returning to action Tuesday night against the Charlotte Stone Crabs for game one of a three-game set at Charlotte Sports Complex. It has yet to be determined who will take the mound for either side in the opener. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., with coverage starting at 6:15 p.m. with Threshers Live! The Pre-game Show on threshersbaseball.com.
