Deck the Halls! Anthony Hall’s Walk-Off Blast Lifts Tampa to Victory, 7-6

TAMPA, Fla. - What a night at George M. Steinbrenner Field! What originally looked like another devastating loss turned into the game of the season for the Tampa Tarpons (6-8). RF Anthony Hall blasted a walk-off two-run homer to power the Tarpons past the Clearwater Threshers (8-6) in the bottom of the ninth, 7-6.

RHP Sean Hermann (5.0IP, 5H, 3R, 2BB, 2K) came into his third start of the season and was not his usual self, losing control of the strike zone early. After giving up two runs in the first inning, Hermann settled in, only allowing one more run over the course of four innings. Hermann did not rely on his offspeed too much tonight, using his sinker-cutter combination for 78% of his pitches.

Hermann had some command issues early in the first, walking the first two batters to open the game. Both runners advanced when Gabriel Rincones Jr. grounded out to 2B Jared Serna to put Clearwater within striking distance. Chad Castillo dunked a ball into shallow left field to give the Threshers an early two-run lead. Hermann forced Jordan Dissin to bounce into a 5-4-3 double play to limit the damage.

Clearwater started to brew a two-out rally in the third frame when Justin Crawford legged out an infield single. He decided to try and test his speed again, but C Ben Rortvedt had other ideas. He showed off his big-league arm, catching Crawford trying to swipe second as he continues to rehab down in Tampa.

In the fourth inning, Rincones Jr. squibbed a double against Tampa’s shifted infield to open up the frame. After advancing to third base on a groundout, Dissin came up with the infield drawn in. He lined a single over Esacnio’s head to extend the lead to three.

Freylin Minyety reached on an E6 to start the fifth inning. SS Brenny Escanio got a chance to make up for the error on the very next play when he started a 6-4-3 double play. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and getting the same result. Clearwater must be insane then, as they tested Rortvedt’s arm again, but with no avail, Rosario was hosed at second.

It may not be Tuesday, but LF Felix Negueis launched an oppo taco to put Tampa on the board. The solo shot traveled 370 feet and pulled Tampa within two. Tampa loaded the bases with singles from 3B Roberto Chirinos and Escanio and a HBP (Rortvedt). In the blink of an eye, Tampa tied the game. Serna came up clutch and ripped a 105 MPH single right up the middle to knot the game at three.

RHP Mason Vinyard was dominant in his relief outing. He made quick work of the Threshers in the seventh, striking out the side. His slider generated a 38% whiff rate across his two innings of work.

As former Yankee manager Joe Girardi used to say "It’s not what you want". Well, that was the case for Crawford out in centerfield as he dropped a routine flyball in the home half of the seventh to gift C Agustin Ramirez second base. Ramirez came around to score and give Tampa the lead when Serna delivered again by lining a double just past the diving Rosario in left field.

Manager Rachel Balkovec called on RHP Manny Ramirez (1-0) in the eighth. Minyety greeted him with an infield single and advanced to second when Erick Brito laid down a sacrifice bunt. After hitting a batter, Clearwater was threatening to tie the game. Crawford’s unfortunate night continued when he grounded into a 5-3 double to end the inning. Ramirez let out a roar and a fist pump in excitement as the one-run lead was held intact.

The bullpen woes continued for Tampa in the ninth. Rincones Jr. demolished a 421-foot game-tying homerun that looked like it made it all the way to Dale Mabry Highway. After a bloop single from Bryan Rincon, he reached second base when Ramirez’s failed pickoff attempt soared out of play. And again, another moonshot to right field, this time off the bat of Cole Moore, extended the Clearwater lead to 6-4.

You know the saying, "It ain’t over til it’s over"; the Tarpons took that to heart in the ninth. The first two men of the inning reached, bringing the winning run to the plate. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch, and Tampa pulled to within one thanks to a SAC fly from Ramirez. Up stepped Anthony Hall, down to his last strike and looking for his first-ever professional hit. On the 0-2 pitch, he lifted a high fly ball to right field. Rincones Jr. drifted back to the track, and all he could do was watch. The ball soared over the right field wall for a walk-off win. As Hall rounded the bases, his teammates awaited him at home plate, ready to get the party started. Tampa only had an 8% chance to win the game going into the ninth, but man oh man, did they defy those odds.

The Tarpons will host the Threshers for the final game of the six-game set tomorrow at GMS Field. RHP Justin Lange (0-0, 1.93) will take the mound at 12:00 p.m. in search of a series split.