CLEARWATER, Fla. -- The Tarpons failed to hold on after taking a 3-1 lead in the eighth as the Threshers rallied for three late runs to steal a 4-3 win on Wednesday afternoon at Spectrum Field.Tampa (34-32) has now lost three straight to fall two games back of both Daytona
CLEARWATER, Fla. -- The Tarpons failed to hold on after taking a 3-1 lead in the eighth as the Threshers rallied for three late runs to steal a 4-3 win on Wednesday afternoon at Spectrum Field.
Tampa (34-32) has now lost three straight to fall two games back of both Daytona (34-28) and Lakeland (35-29) for first place in the pursuit of its third consecutive first-half North Division title.
Albert Abreu made the start and scattered six singles and one hit-batter while logging his first scoreless outing of the season, striking out six in five shutout innings. The 22-year-old threw 55 of 85 pitches for strikes.
The game did start smoothly for Abreu, as both Arquimedes Gamboa and Adam Haseley singled to begin the first. Abreu got a pair of strikeouts and a groundout to end the inning.
Grenny Cumana and Luke Williams both singled to begin the bottom of the second, but Abreu retired the next three batters to strand two more.
Clearwater (30-34) starter Mauricio Llovera retired 10 of the first 12 batters he faced. Brandon Wagner then broke the scoreless tie with one out in the fourth, blasting a solo home run over the right field wall. Wagner leads all Yankees minor leaguers with 12 homers.
Llovera made his third-straight quality start, yielding one earned run on three hits, one walk and one hit-batter in six innings. The right-hander tied a season-high with nine strikeouts while throwing 61 of 87 pitches for strikes.
Williams homered with two outs in the sixth off RHP Hobie Harris (BS, 1) to knot the score at 1-1. The solo shot was just third of the season for Williams.
Tampa scored twice off RHP JD Hammer (W, 1-1) to take back the lead in the eighth. Ben Ruta drew a leadoff walk, stole second, advanced to third on a groundout and scored on a base hit to right by Alexander Palma , beating a throw to the plate by right-fielder Jose Pujols. Isiah Gilliam later added a two-out RBI double for a 3-1 lead.
After striking out a pair in a scoreless seventh, LHP Phillip Diehl walked Pujols to begin the bottom of the eighth. RHP Andrew Schwaab (H, 2)(L, 0-2) entered and Cumana reached on a hit-by-pitch. One out later, Gabriel Lino hit an infield single to load the bases. Rain began falling and Schwaab walked Brian Mims on four pitches, forcing home Pujols.
The bases remained loaded with one out in the ninth when home plate umpire Mark Stewart called for the tarp. After a 53-minute rain delay, RHP Matt Wivinis faced the top of the order. Gamboa walked to tie the game and Haseley followed with a go-ahead RBI single. Wivinis (BS, 1) retired Austin Listi and Henri Lartigue to limit the damage.
Dom Thompson-Williams reached on a hit-by-pitch and stole second to open the ninth. LHP Garrett Cleavinger struck out the next two batters and got a ground ball from Ruta. Cleavinger stumbled on his way to cover first and Ruta reached on an errant throw by Listi. After Cleavinger limped off the field, RHP Ismael Cabrera (SV, 1) entered and got a fly out from Diego Castillo to end the game.
Gilliam (2-for-4, 2B, RBI) extended his hitting streak to 10 games. Wagner (2-for-3, HR, BB, RBI, R) reached base three times.
Tampa will look to salvage a win in the finale of the four-game series on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. RHP Garrett Whitlock (2-0, 0.96) is scheduled to face LHP Nick Fanti (2-2, 5.06) in the final game prior to the All-Star Break. Live play-by-play audio will be available on the Tarpons Radio Network.
