Threshers Erase Six-Run Deficit in Walkoff Win

WP: Gabe Craig (1-0, 4.50)

LP: Pedro García (1-3, 8.84)

BOX SCORE

CLEARWATER, FL – For the second game in a row, the Clearwater Threshers (23-16) earned a walkoff win over the Lakeland Flying Tigers (21-18), coming back from six runs down to win 7-6 on Sunday afternoon at BayCare Ballpark. The Threshers take their three-game winning streak on the road when they travel to Tampa to take on the Tarpons.

A sacrifice fly and a bases-loaded double gave Lakeland a four-run advantage in the top of the fourth inning. They added a two-run homer in the fifth to extend their lead to six runs. The Threshers began to chip away at the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning, when Nolan Beltran drew a two-out walk. He advanced in a single by Juan Villavicencio, and both scored on a double by Manolfi Jimenez to plate the Threshers’ first two runs of the game.

Angel Mata began the seventh with a leadoff single before he switched places with Robert Phelps on a fielder’s choice. Griffin Burkholder’s one-out single moved Phelps to third before he scored Clearwater’s first run on a Keaton Anthony ground-rule double. Three pitches later, Nathan Humphreys singled in Burkholder from third to make it 6-4 after seven innings.

Juan Villavicencio led off the eighth inning with a home run, cutting the Lakeland lead to one run going into the ninth. Anthony led off the ninth with a single and was replaced by Jaeden Calderon as a pinch runner. Calderon advanced to third on a Humphreys double before Villaviencio was intentionally walked by Lakeland closer Pedro Garcia to load the bases. Jimenez drove in Calderon on a fielder’s choice to tie the game at six, moving Humphreys to third base on the grounder. On the very next pitch, Tyler Pettorini roped a base hit down the left field line, plating Humphreys and completing the comeback to seal a 7-6 win for the Threshers.

Sean Youngerman struck out four batters in 3.0 scoreless and hitless innings of a no-decision. James Tallon allowed four runs on three walks in 0.1 inning. Jacob Pruitt finished the final two outs of the fourth inning with two hits allowed and one walk without surrendering a run. Brian Walters surrendered two runs on three hits with one strikeout in 2.0 innings of work. Tyler Bowen struck out two and allowed one hit in 1.0 inning of work. Gabe Craig (1-0) earned the win after striking out one and retiring all three batters he faced in a scoreless and hitless ninth.

Craig earned his first professional victory on Sunday...Humphreys tied his career high with three hits for the second-straight night...Hogart pinch-ran for Mata in the eighth...Mata recorded his first multi-hit game as a Thresher...Villavicencio homered in back-to-back games for the second time this season...Every Threshers batter reached base safely at least once...The Threshers begin a six-game road series against the Tampa Tarpons on Tuesday, May 19...First pitch on Tuesday 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.