REDS NO-HIT THRESHERS THROUGH SEVEN
Threshers Ninth Inning Rally Falls Short
Western Division Championship
Game #1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
| R | H | E |
| Reds |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
2 |
6 |
0 |
|
| Threshers |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
The Sarasota Reds starting pitcher held the Threshers hitless through seven innings, but was relieved in the eighth inning of the playoff opener opening the way for a late Threshers rally.
Matt Thayer got the first Threshers hit of the night in the eighth, but with two outs already in the inning the Threshers could mount nothing as it went into the ninth inning with the Threshers still trailing by two runs.
Behind solid bullpen pitching from "Bear" Hill, the Threshers limped into the bottom of the final frame still trailing by two.
After two quick outs by the Sarasota bullpen it looked all but over for the Threshers, but the Threshers had other things in mind. Jason Donald picked up a two-out double to put life back into the team, and two walks by Jeremy Slayden and Lou Marson loaded the bases with Jake Blalock stepping to the plate. Blalock got down 0-2 early in the pitch count but kept things alive with a 9 pitch at-bat fouling off five balls and drawing two balls. After one foul deep down the left field line Jake got ahold of a pitch sending it deep into left-center for what appeared to be a hit, but the ball was chased down by the Reds center fielder to end the game.
Andrew Cruse threw six solid innings for the Threshers giving up just two runs on five hits with four Ks and just one walk, while his battery mate "Bear" HIll threw three innings of relief giving up just one hit while fanning three and walking none. The offense however could not get things done providing no run support behind excellent pitching.
Kudos to the pitching staff in tonight's game. There has got to be some offensive production on Wednesday night or the Threshers are going to have a very short run in this post-season race.
The team heads to Sarasota on Wednesday, and Thursday (if necessary) facing the daunting task of picking up two road wins to make it into the finals of the F.S.L.
It was not over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor, and it ain't over now, but with the end in sight it is definitely gut-check time for our Clearwater Threshers.
Player in yellow denotes the SCHMIDT List player(s) of the game.
|
