Threshers Clinch the West in Comeback Win

WP: Jonh Henriquez (9-0, 2.48)

LP: Gabriel Yanez (2-2, 4.03)

SV: Jack Dallas (7)

BOX SCORE:

FORT MYERS, FL – With five runs on seven hits in the final two innings, the Clearwater Threshers (40-15) became the first minor league team to clinch a playoff berth with a division-clinching 8-4 win over the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (29-27) on Friday night at Hammond Stadium. The Threshers and Mighty Mussels will finish their series on Sunday afternoon.

Bryan Rincon led off the game with a solo home run to right off Fort Myers starter Jose Olivares. Emaarion Boyd followed with a double to left and stole third before scoring on a wild pitch to double the lead to 2-0 in the first. Fort Myers tied the game at two with a two-run home run by Rubel Cespedes in the bottom of the first.

The Mighty Mussels took the lead on an RBI triple in the fourth that made it 3-2. Otto Kemp walked with one out in the sixth before Felix Reyes tripled off Fort Myers reliever Samuel Perez to tie up the game at three.

Clearwater started a rally with one out in the eighth, beginning with a walk to Jordan Dissin. Kemp and Jordan Viars hit back-to-back singles to load the bases on Fort Myers reliever Gabriel Yanez. Jackson Hicks replaced Yanez and walked Reyes to score the go-ahead run. Ricardo Rosario singled in two more runs to make it 6-3 heading into the ninth.

Gabriel Rincones Jr. walked with one out in the ninth and stole second base. Kemp drove him in with a single to right to bump the lead to 7-3. Reyes drove in a run in his third consecutive at-bat to give the Threshers an 8-3 advantage. The Mighty Mussels added a run in the bottom of the ninth but Jack Dallas struck out the final batter to secure the save and clinch the division in an 8-4 win.

Alex McFarlane allowed three runs on four hits in 5.0 innings with three walks and eight strikeouts in a no-decision. Jonh Henriquez (9-0) earned the win in 2.2 shutout innings with two walks and one strikeout. Jack Dallas earned the save with one run allowed on two hits and two strikeouts in 1.1 innings.

McFarlane tied his career-high with eight strikeouts...The Threshers have won six out of his last seven starts...Reyes set a new season high with three RBIs...He tied a season high with two hits...Kemp reached base all five times he came to the plate, the most in a single game by a Threshers batter...Viars recorded his third multi-hit game of the season...Rincones Jr. Moved into a tie for second in the Florida State League with his 24th stolen base...The Threshers conclude their six-game series against the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (Minnesota Twins, A) on Sunday, June 11th... First pitch is at 12:00 pm EST... You can purchase tickets for Threshers games at ThreshersBaseball.com/tickets or by calling 727-467-4457.