Ten Hits in Final Three Innings Secure Comeback Win for Threshers

WP: Ramón Márquez (1-0, 1.29)

LP: Pedro Rodriguez (BS (1), 1-1, 4.73)

BOX SCORE

TAMPA, FL – Jaeden Calderon’s final two at-bats resulted in three crucial runs for the Clearwater Threshers (26-18) who came back from a three-run deficit to beat the Tampa Tarpons (21-23) 8-6 on Saturday night at George M. Steinbrenner Field. The Threshers look to take over the series lead in the Sunday afternoon finale.

The Tarpons struck first on a two-out RBI single in the opening frame to start the scoring at 1-0 after one. They added a solo home run in the bottom of the third and fifth innings to triple their advantage. Clearwater got on the board in the seventh, beginning with a leadoff single by Juan Villavicencio on the first pitch of the frame. He moved to third on a one-out double by Jonathan Hogart and scored on a single by Angel Mata for the Threshers’ first run. Hogart had moved to third on the RBI single, and he scored on the very next pitch when Calderon singled to cut the deficit to one run.

Tampa got one of those runs back in the home half of the seventh on a leadoff home run to make it 4-2. Matthew Ferrara started a ninth-inning rally on the first pitch of the frame, hitting a double to deep center off the newly entered Tarpons reliever Pedro Rodriguez. Hogart followed with a walk and was replaced by pinch runner Tyler Pettorini before a sacrifice bunt by Mata moved both runners ahead one base. Calderon singled to score Ferrara from third, and two pitches later, Robert Phelps hit a sacrifice fly to right center, scoring Pettorini easily from third base to tie the game. Calderon tagged up to second on Phelps’ sacrifice, and after a wild pitch advanced him to third, the game went into a rain delay with two outs in the top of the ninth.

After the rain subsided, Calderon scored on a wild pitch during Griffin Burkholder’s at-bat to give the Threshers their first lead of the game. After Burkholder stole second, Keaton Anthony hit a two-run home run over the right field wall to triple the Threshers’ lead. Alirio Ferrebus followed with a homer of his own to give the Threshers a four-run advantage. Tarpons infielder Hans Montero hit his third home run of the game in the ninth, but the Threshers held on to complete the comeback with an 8-6 victory.

Cade Obermueller struck out three batters but allowed one run on two hits with two walks in his first professional inning of a no-decision. Andrew Bechtold tossed 1.1 scoreless and hitless frames with one strikeout. Kevin Warunek surrendered one run on three hits in 0.2 innings. Ramón Márquez (1-0) let up two runs on four hits with seven strikeouts in 5.0 innings to earn the win. Marty Gair allowed two runs on one hit with one strikeout and one walk in 1.0 inning.

Obermueller struck out the side in his first professional inning...Márquez struck out seven batters, more than any other Threshers reliever in a game this season...He came out of the bullpen for the first time in his seventh Single-A outing...Clearwater’s six-run ninth inning marked the most runs they scored in one frame all season...Ferrebus became the second Thresher to reach base in 20 or more consecutive games in 2026...The Threshers conclude a six-game road series against the Tampa Tarpons on Sunday, May 24...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.