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Photo Credit: Bradley Walker NGSC Sports
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Under a partly cloudy, cool night, the Clearwater Threshers, the Philadelphia Phillies’ Single-A team, had their home opener. It was a special night as the team had one-dollar hot dogs, soda, and beer. The 4,000 fans enjoyed it, and in some cases, many of them left before all the excitement happened. This game was a tale of two games in one. The Threshers were hosting the Daytona Tortugas, who are the single-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. Both teams came into the game with a 2-1 record. Clearwater was in their home red tops with stripe pants, and red caps like the ones that the Phillies wear. Daytona was in all grey uniforms with green hats. For anyone who has ever attended a minor league baseball game, you are missing out on so much fun.
The game started off rough for the Clearwater Threshers. They had issues starting in the second inning with many walks that resulted in a 5-0 lead for Daytona. The other issue was that the Threshers could not get a hit. The next thing you know, in just three short innings, Clearwater found themselves down 7-0. No matter what happened, if the Threshers got walks, they were unable to get hits. This is when most of the fans, except for the diehards, left. Many could see why their team was losing, and at that time, there was no feeling of a comeback. This is one of the reasons why you do not leave until the final out.
The magic started in the bottom of the eighth when the Threshers finally got on the board, and before the inning ended, they found themselves down 7-3. Once the first run was scored, the fans who were left cheered because they knew their team was not going to get shut out. The bright spot was that Clearwater’s pitchers were finally able to find the strike zone and kept the Tortugas off the scoreboard in the final four innings. Clearwater quickly got two outs in the bottom of the ninth, and it looked like Daytona was going to spoil the home opener. The Threshers got walked and that loaded the bases with the tying run coming up to the plate in Aroon Escobar. Escobar was the hero as on a 2-1 count he rocked a ball to deep left field, and it cleared the fence, which tied the game at seven. Escobar ended the game 2 for 4 with five RBI and one walk.
After Escobar, Brady Day came up to bat and hit a double to get into scoring position. The following hitter was the DH in Joel Dragoo, and all he needed to do was get a base hit. He did just that as he lined a base hit to right, and Day came around to score the winning run. The players went crazy and dumped ice on Dragoo. The fans in the stands also went crazy as their team came from behind to win on opening night. These are the types of games that test a team, and with this coming early in the season, it shows this team has character and does not give up. This was game one of a six-game series, so let’s see how the next five games go.
Are you excited when your team comes back like the Threshers did last night? Leave a comment below.
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For more,e follow me on Facebook: Bradley Walker, on X: bradalker3083, and my weekly sports podcast: The Walker Report.
Author Profile
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Director of Operations for NGSC Sports
Covers USF Athletics in Football, Baseball, Lacrosse, and Softball.
Also covered both major and minor league baseball in the Tampa Bay Rays and Clearwater Threshers.
He also covers college football bowl and conference championship games.
It might seem like just covers team sports he also covers both the PGA & LIV Tours and writes and announces for the Pinellas Park High School Patriots in football and basketball.
He also has two sports podcasts in the P&W Sports Report and The Walker Report.
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[…] Clearwater Threshers wrapped up a three-game series versus the Bradenton Marauders, the A-affiliate for the Pittsburgh […]