Vierling’s Career Night, Spangler’s First Home Run Seal Series Win

WP: Orlando Gonzalez (2-0, 3.57)

LP: Adam Falinski (2-3, 5.63)

BOX SCORE

CLEARWATER, FL – With nine runs scored in the final 2.0 innings, the Clearwater Threshers (73-54, 33-28) started their final homestand of the season with four straight wins over the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (67-59, 30-31), taking Friday night’s game 13-9 in comeback fashion at BayCare Ballpark. Clearwater will host the Mighty Mussels again on Saturday in their penultimate game of the regular season.

Three two-out hits from the Mighty Mussels gave them a two-run advantage in the top of the third. Cade Climie started off the bottom of the third inning with a leadoff double before advancing to third base on a groundout. With two outs in the inning, Mighty Mussels’ starter Matt Barr sailed a pitch over the head of his catcher, allowing Climie to score the Beach Dogs’ first run. Fort Myers responded with three runs in the top of the fourth inning to extend their advantage to four runs.

Nolan Beltran led off the home half of the fourth inning with a double, and Macon Winslow followed him up with a two-run blast over the left-field wall. On the very next pitch, Will Vierling belted another home run to cut the deficit to one run. Fort Myers got one run back in the top of the seventh to increase their lead to two runs. Matthew Ferrara led off the seventh inning by drawing a walk against Fort Myers reliever Thomas Burns, who walked Tyler Spangler and Will Gasparino as well to load the bases. Two pitches later, Beltran crushed a double that cleared the bases, scoring all three runs and giving the Beach Dogs their first lead of the game.

After the first out of the seventh, Vierling smacked a single that scored Beltran from second and doubled the Beach Dogs’ lead. A two-out triple by Jack Hopko plated Vierling from first, giving Clearwater a three-run lead after the seventh inning. The lead, however, was short-lived, as the Mighty Mussels tied the game on a pinch-hit three-run homer by Jimmy Keenan.

With one out in the bottom of the eighth, Clearwater answered right back when Tyler Spangler hit a home run to left field to give the Beach Dogs back the lead. Gasparino and Beltran walked before a fielder’s choice got Beltran at second for out number two. Three pitches later, Vierling homered again to seal a 13-9 win for the Beach Dogs.

Cole Gilley surrendered five runs on eight hits with one walk and three strikeouts in 3.2 innings of a no-decision. Cal Higgins walked one and struck out one in 1.1 scoreless and hitless innings of relief. Andrew Hoffmann retired all three batters he faced in a scoreless and hitless sixth inning. Luis Avila struck out one batter and allowed one run on one hit with two walks in 0.2 innings. Manuel Colon surrendered three runs on one hit with two walks and one strikeout in 0.1 innings. Orlando Gonzalez (2-0) earned the win in the final 2.0 shutout frames, striking out four with one walk and two hits allowed.

Vierling has been a part of back-to-back home runs in each of the last two home stands...He set game highs in hits (four), home runs (two), and RBIs (five) ...Beltran extended his on-base streak to 16 games with a double in the fourth...Spangler’s first career home run was a go-ahead blast in the eighth...Hoffmann retired all three batters he faced in his Phillies organization debut...Hopko secured his first career triple in the seventh inning...The Threshers will continue their final homestand of the season against the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels on Saturday, September 5...First pitch on Saturday 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.