Humphreys Collects Three Hits and Walks off Flying Tigers

WP: Richie Cortese (1-1, 2.13)

LP: Jatnk Diaz (0-1, 8.10)

BOX SCORE

CLEARWATER, FL – Nathan Humphreys set a new career high with three hits, including a walkoff single that won the game for the Clearwater Threshers (22-16) by a 4-3 margin in ten innings against the Lakeland Flying Tigers (21-17) on Saturday night at BayCare Ballpark. Clearwater goes for the series split when they return home for the Sunday afternoon finale.

The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the third inning, which began with a leadoff home run by Robert Phelps to open the scoring. Will Vierling led off the fifth inning with an inside-the-park home run on a hard-hit line drive to right field that doubled the Threshers’ advantage. Lakeland got both runs back in the sixth to tie the score at two.

Clearwater put a baserunner on with one out in the ninth but couldn’t move the runner, and the game went to extra innings. With an extra runner starting the tenth, two wild pitches allowed Newremberg Rondon to move to third and score, and give Lakeland the first run of extras. Nolan Beltran had entered the game in the top of the tenth, and began the home half as the placed runner on second base. He moved to third on a groundout and scored on a Jonathan Hogart single to left that tied the game.

Tyler Pettorini pinch ran for Hogart and immediately stole second. The throw to second base from Lakeland catcher Hunter Dobbins sailed into centerfield, and Pettorini advanced to third on the error. The next pitch was blasted off the right field wall by Humphreys, plating Pettorini from third and sealing a 4-3 walkoff win for the Threshers.

Ramón Márquez struck out nine batters with three hits and two walks allowed in 5.0 scoreless innings of a no-decision. Peyton Havard surrendered two runs on two hits with one walk and one strikeout in 1.0 inning and took a blown save. Estibenzon Jiménez struck out five batters in 2.0 shutout innings, allowing one hit without walking anyone. Andrew Bechtold allowed one hit and one walk without allowing a run in 0.1 innings. Richie Cortese (1-1) earned the win in 1.2 innings of work, surrendering one unearned run on one hit with three strikeouts.

Phelps’ on-base streak has reached 20-straight games...His third-inning homer was his first at BayCare Ballpark...Humphreys recorded the first three-hit game of his professional career...Both the Threshers’ tying and winning runs were scored by pinch runners (Beltran, Pettorini)...Clearwater earned their second walkoff win of the season on Saturday night...Ferrebus recorded his 13th multi-hit game of the season...The Threshers conclude a six-game home series against the Lakeland Flying Tigers on Sunday, May 17...First pitch on Sunday afternoon will take place at 12:00 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.