Hogart’s Three-Run Blast Helps Threshers Take Fourth Straight

WP: Cole Gilley (1-0, 2.25)

LP: Ty Van Dyke (1-1, 1.50)

BOX SCORE

JUPITER, FL – Jonathan Hogart drove in four runs, with three coming on a go-ahead home run, as the Clearwater Threshers (15-10) took down the Palm Beach Cardinals (15-10) in a 7-2 victory on Friday night at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. The Threshers look to extend their longest streak of the season when they return for the penultimate game on Saturday.

Griffin Burkholder singled on the first pitch of the game to put the Threshers on the basepaths. After the first out, Alirio Ferrebus took a 1-0 pitch to deep right centerfield that bounced over the fence for a ground rule double. On a groundout to third in the next at-bat, Burkholder raced home with the Threshers’ first run. Palm Beach tied up the game on a one-out single in the bottom of the third. With two outs, Cardinals’ outfielder Cameron Nickens singled to right field. With the baserunner from second heading home, Jonathan Hogart fired a perfect throw to the plate to save a run and end the inning in a 1-1 tie.

Ferrebus and Nolan Beltran singled in the first two at-bats of the fourth inning. After the next two batters were retired, Hogart took a two-strike pitch to the deepest part of the ballpark in centerfield for a three-run homer, giving Clearwater a four-run advantage. Palm Beach got one run back in the fourth, cutting Clearwater’s lead to two runs.

The Threshers weren’t done, as Beltran drew a one-out walk to start the top of the sixth. He moved to second on a single by Matthew Ferrara before Juan Villavicencio loaded the bases on a walk. Hogart was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, plating Beltran with his fourth RBI of the day. With the bases still loaded, Manolfi Jimenez cranked a 1-1 pitch to deep right field, but it was caught on the warning track for a sacrifice fly. Ferrara tagged and scored from third to give the Threshers a four-run advantage.

Jimenez led off the ninth inning with a pop fly to third, but Cardinals third baseman Jack Gurevitch missed the catch, allowing Jimenez to move to second on the error. He moved to second on a groundout and scored when ball four to Nathan Humphreys skipped past the catcher’s glove, coming home on the wild pitch with a five-run lead. The Threshers' bullpen kept the Cardinals’ bats silent in the ninth to seal a 7-2 win and clinch the series victory.

Tanner Gresham surrendered one unearned run on two hits with two walks and four strikeouts in 3.0 innings of a no-decision. Cole Gilley (1-0) allowed one run on three hits with one walk and two strikeouts in 3.0 innings to earn the win. Marty Gair retired all six batters he faced in 2.0 scoreless and hitless innings, striking out two. Tyler Bowen struck out two batters and walked one in the ninth without surrendering a run or a hit.

Hogart set a career-high with four RBIs...He hit his second go-ahead home run for the Threshers in the fourth inning...With the first four wins of the series, the Threshers have clinched their first six-game series win of the season...Beltran and Ferrara have now hit safely in three consecutive games...Gilley earned his first win as a professional...As a team, Clearwater has homered at least once in each of the first four games this series...The Threshers continue a six-game road series against the Palm Beach Cardinals on Saturday, May 2...First pitch on Saturday evening will take place at 6:00 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.