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Jackson Homers in Rubber Game Loss to Threshers

May 13, 2017

CLEARWATER, Fla. -The Tampa Yankees (16-21) fell to the Clearwater Threshers (22-15), 6-4, in the rubber match on Saturday night at Spectrum Field. Both teams collected 10 hits, but a trio of two-out, RBI singles led Clearwater to the victory.Tampa claimed an early lead with a two-out, RBI single of

CLEARWATER, Fla. -The Tampa Yankees (16-21) fell to the Clearwater Threshers (22-15), 6-4, in the rubber match on Saturday night at Spectrum Field. Both teams collected 10 hits, but a trio of two-out, RBI singles led Clearwater to the victory.
Tampa claimed an early lead with a two-out, RBI single of its own. Jeff Hendrix drew a four-pitch walk and advanced on a wild pitch by Clearwater starter Seranthony Domínguez. Later, Chris Gittens lined a single off the glove of Dominguez and into centerfield, scoring Hendrix.
After recording a six-pitch first inning, RHP Domingo Acevedo walked the leadoff batter in the second. On the next pitch, Wilson Garcia slugged a go-ahead, two-run home run into a strong right field breeze, giving the Threshers the lead.
The T-Yanks took back the lead in the fourth when Trey Amburgey walked and scored on a towering home run by Jhalan Jackson over the left field walk. It was Jackson's fifth home run of the season.
The seesaw went Clearwater's way with the help of an error in the fifth. After two quick outs, Zach Coppola legged out a bunt single. Later, Acevedo caught Coppola off the first base bag on a pick off throw, but the runner advanced on a missed catch error by the first baseman Gittens.
After a walk by Mark Laird, a balk by Acevedo advanced the runners to second and third. Cornelius Randolph then lined a two-out, two-run single into center, giving the Threshers back the lead, 4-3. Acevedo picked off Randolph to end the inning.
After a visit by the athletic trainer, Dominguez left the game after four and two-third innings. The righty allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits, walking three while striking out seven and throwing 49 of 77 pitches for strikes.
Tampa managed to tie the game against RHP Edgar Garcia (W, 1-0) in the seventh. Kyle Holder singled and raced to third on a base hit by Hendrix. Tito Polo followed with an RBI infield single, knotting the game at 4-4. Garcia retired Gittens and Amburgey to escape further damage.
Austin Bossart blasted a one-out double into right-centerfield for Clearwater in the bottom of the seventh. A groundout moved Bossart to third before Coppola gave the Threshers the lead with a two-out, RBI single into left.
Despite a quality start, Acevedo (L, 0-4) labored the loss after yielding five runs (three earned) on eight hits in seven innings, walking a pair while striking out seven. The righty threw 75 of 101 pitches for strikes.
Clearwater tacked on an insurance run off RHP Andrew Schwaab in the eighth. Randolph led off with a single and later scored on a two-out, RBI hit by Herlis Rodriguez.
LHP Jeff Singer (SV, 9) worked around a hit and a walk while striking out three in two innings, collecting his league-leading ninth save.
Mandy Alvarez (3-for-4) logged his first three-hit game of the season. Polo (2-for-5, RBI) extended his hitting streak to 10 games. Jackson (1-for-4, HR, 2RBI, R) now leads the team in home runs (5) and RBI (17).
Sunday will be a league-wide off day in recognition of Mother's Day. Tampa will be back in action on Monday when the T-Yanks travel to Osceola County to begin a four-game series with the Florida Fire Frogs at 7:05 p.m. RHP Erik Swanson (1-0, 1.06 ERA) will oppose LHP Tyler Pike (3-1, 2.29 ERA) in the series-opener.