Threshers Top Yankees

Yankee Pitching Meltdown Capitalized on by Threshers

PLAYER Pos. H/AB Details Matt Thayer LF 0-4 - Brian Burgamy CF 0-3 BB, Run Mike Costanzo 3B 2-3 HR, 2 Runs, BB Brian Sellier RF 0-2 2 BBs, Run Mike Dzurilla 1B 1-2 RBI, Run, BB Branden Florence DH 0-4 BB, Run Peeter Ramos 2B 3-4 - Brad Harman SS 1-4 Double, RBI Tuffy Gosewisch C 0-4 -

PITCHER IP R H K BB Julio De La Cruz 3.2 3 4 2 4 Jacob Barrack 2.1 1 1 4 1 Chris Booker 2.0 0 0 6 0 Brian Reed 1.0 0 0 0 0

The Clearwater Threshers returned to Legend's Field in Tampa on Friday to face the Yankees looking for revenge after a loss on Thursday night. The Yankees however were not ready to give up easy, and quickly got out to an early lead with a run in the first inning. Pitching woes would haunt the Yankees on the night though, and their lead would not hold up.

In the fourth inning the Yankees walked three consecutive Threshers to load the bases with one out, and a sacrifice fly from Mike Dzurilla would drive in the Threshers first run to tie the game 1-1.

In the bottom of the fourth inning it was Clearwater's own pitching woes that gave the lead back to the Yankees. Julio De La Cruz struck out the first batter of the inning, but then hit a batter (his second of the game) and then gave up a home run to score two Yankees runs and put the "Evil Empire" back on top 3-2. After De La Cruz walked another batter Jacob Barrack was called in from the Threshers' bullpen to get the team out of the inning.

In the sixth inning a combination of factors including solid offense, poor defense and pitching miscues would give the Threshers the lead, and the team would never look back. After a new Yankees' pitcher got a quick strike out Mike Costanzo hit a ground rule double, and Brian Sellier walked to put runners on first and second. Mike Dzurilla then walked to load the bases and Branden Florence reached on a throwing error to home plate that allowed two runs to score and left Dzurilla on third with Florence on first. A passed ball then allowed Mike Dzurilla to score from third and sent Florence to second. Brad Harman then knocked a double to score Florence from second and the Threshers left the inning with for runs and a 5-3 lead.

The Yankees knocked a home run off of Jake Barrack in the bottom of the sixth to cut the lead to 5-4, but a home run by Mike Costanzo in the seventh returned the Threshers to a two run lead at 6-4 and that was where things would end.

Chris Booker down on major league rehab from Philly pitched two solid innings in the seventh and eighth striking out all six batters he faced, and Brian Reed came in from the pen to close out the ninth for the Threshers and secure the victory.

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