Tarpons Held to 3 Hits in 4-1 Loss at Clearwater

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- After scoring 24 runs on 38 hits over the last three days, the Tarpons were stymied by Clearwater starter Connor Seabold in a 4-1 loss to the Threshers in the opener of a four-game series on Monday night at Spectrum Field.
RHP Luis Cessa made the start for Tampa (34-30) as part of a rehab assignment from the New York Yankees. The 26-year-old has been on the disabled list since April 17th after straining his oblique.
Clearwater (28-34) took advantage of a rusty Cessa in the first inning, sending eight batters to the plate.
A pair of walks and a single loaded the bases with no outs. Edgar Cabral then drove in Arquimedes Gamboa from third while reaching on a fielder's choice. One out later, Raul Rivas knocked in Adam Haseley with a single to left. An infield hit by Jose Gomez loaded the bases before a fly out by Luke Williams ended the frame.
Cessa (L, 0-1) left the game with two outs in the second after walking two more batters. The righty allowed two earned runs on three hits in an inning and two-thirds, walking four while striking out one. Cessa threw just 19 of 46 pitches for strikes.
RHP Nick Nelson made his first career relief appearance, entering in the third. Pujols greeted him with a single before Nelson struck out the next two batters. Williams the reached on a hit-by-pitch and Grenny Cumana followed with a two-out RBI single, giving the Threshers a 3-0 lead.
Seabold tallied seven strikeouts in the first four innings and retired the first 13 batters he faced before allowing a one-out single by Isiah Gilliam in the fifth.
Gomez reached on a fielder's choice in the bottom of the fifth and advanced to third on another two-out single by Cumana. Gamboa followed with an RBI single, plating the final Clearwater run.
Ryan Lidge led off the sixth by crushing a home run over the right field wall, breaking up the shutout. It was Lidge's second home run in six games since joining Tampa.
Later in the sixth, Diego Castillo lined a two-out single into left, but was thrown out stretching for a double by Cumana to end the inning.
Seabold (W, 3-4) retired eight of the final nine batters he faced to log his first-career complete game. The 22-year-old scattered three hits and one walk while yielding one earned run in nine innings. Seabold tied a season-high with nine strikeouts while throwing 76 of 105 pitches for strikes.
Nelson worked into the eighth, completing five and two-third innings of relief. The right-hander allowed two earned runs on seven hits and one hit-batter, walking two while striking out four on 103 pitches (64 strikes).
RHP Brian Trieglaff relieved Cessa in the second and struck out Cabral to end the inning. LHP Trevor Lane faced two batters in the eighth, allowing a ground-rule double to Cabral before striking out Pujols to end the inning.
The Tarpons will look to bounce back when the series continues on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. RHP Adonis Rosa (6-1, 3.33) will make the start against RHP Adonis Media (6-2, 4.82). Live play-by-play audio will be available on the Tarpons Radio Network.