Late Homer Foils Threshers as They Lose Lead to Start Series

WP: Callan Fang (3-0, 0.84)

LP: Cole Gilley (5-1, 3.48)

SV: Eric Hammond (1)

BOX SCORE

CLEARWATER, FL – RBIs by Jonathan Hogart and Will Vierling gave the Clearwater Threshers (44-32, 4-6) an early lead, but the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (44-30, 7-2) stormed ahead late to steal a 5-4 win on Tuesday night at BayCare Ballpark. The Threshers look to bounce back in the second game of the series on Wednesday night.

After a scoreless first inning, Alirio Ferrebus was hit by a pitch to start the second. After Ferrebus was recorded out on a fielder’s choice hit by Juan Villavicencio, Matthew Ferrara singled for the game’s first hit. With two outs in the frame, Jonathan Hogart doubled in both runners to give the Threshers the first two runs of the game. Will Vierling singled in Hogart on the very next pitch to pad the Threshers’ lead to three runs. Fort Myers got on the board with their first run in the top of the third to cut the lead to two runs.

Fort Myers got another run back in the top of the fourth with a solo home run to trim the deficit to one run. They tied it up with an error that allowed the Mighty Mussels’ third run of the game to score in the top of the fifth. Fort Myers took the lead with a two-run homer in the eighth to make it 5-3. Clearwater was able to chip away at the lead in the home half of the eighth, which began with a one-out walk by Griffin Burkholder. Nathan Humphreys followed with a ground ball to second, but the throw to the base missed the glove for an error to keep everyone safe. Shortly after, Alirio Ferrebus cut the deficit in half with an RBI double that scored Burkholder from second. The Threshers had the winning run in scoring position in the eighth, but couldn’t take the lead back as they fell 5-4 to Fort Myers.

Cade Obermueller surrendered two runs (one earned) on two hits and four walks with four strikeouts in 4.0 innings of a no-decision. Jackson Rutledge allowed one unearned run on two hits and struck out three batters in 1.0 inning. Grant Holman struck out two batters and surrendered one hit in 1.0 scoreless inning. Cole Gilley (5-1) finished the final 3.0 innings but took the loss, allowing two runs on two hits with three walks and four strikeouts.

Holman tossed a scoreless frame in his first rehab assignment in the Phillies organization...Humphreys has reached base safely in 16 straight games...Hogart has three RBIs in the last two games...He has scored at least one run in each of his last three games....Ferrebus’ 20th double of the season produced his 50th RBI...The Threshers will continue a six-game home series against the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels on Wednesday, July 1...First pitch on Wednesday 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.