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Photo Credit: Bradley Walker NGSC Sports
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It was the fifth game of a six-game series and just the second time in the year that the Clearwater Threshers (21-18) did not tie or win a series. The Lakeland Flying Tigers (21-17), the single-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers, beat Clearwater in the first four games. Game 5 was under a cloudless, humid sky with a slight breeze. It was a theme night for the Threshers as they were wearing Toy Story jerseys. The players’ and coaching staff’s jerseys were being auctioned off for charity. The visiting Flying Tigers looked just like the major league Detroit Tigers in all grey uniforms with navy blue hats. Clearwater had some good things happen despite losing the first four games. Pitcher Ryan Degges was the first Thresher pitcher to go at least five innings. Both Tait and Owusu-Asiedu reached base in consecutive games.
Tait reached base in a career-high eight straight games, but did not reach base in Saturday night’s game. Owusu-Asiedu had reached base 14 games in a row, and he set another game when he had a hit, making it 15 straight games. Clearwater did not waste much time as the leadoff hitter hit a solo home run, quickly giving the Threshers the lead. In the prior four games, they did not score first. Ryan Dromboski was great as he has been all year, as he sat down the Flying Tigers to give the offense time to score runs. In the second inning, Carter Mathison nearly hit a home run as the ball hit the top of the wall, resulting in a triple. After the triple, the next batter, Guillermo Rosario, got a base hit, and that allowed Mathison to score and put the Threshers up 2-0.
The next two innings, neither team scored a run, and it was not till the bottom of the fifth when the Threshers put up three more runs. The runs came on a combination of hits, walks, and a balk. At that point, many thought the game was over. There were many children in the stands who were part of Clearwater baseball and softball. In the top sixth with one out, Dromboski was taken out, becoming the second Clearwater pitcher to go at least five innings. When the change was made, that is when the Flying Tigers got their first and only run of the night in the sixth. David Smith reached the base, got to third on a wild pitch, and scored. What was bad for Lakeland was that the Threshers answered in the bottom of the sixth, scoring two runs off the bat of Aroon Escobar and Dante Nori.
Despite being down by seven runs heading into the final two innings, they made some great defensive plays. These plays occurred in both the infield and the outfield. Another run came off the bat of Avery Owusu-Asiedu, giving the Threshers an 8-1 lead heading into the final frame. Clearwater finished the game with 13 hits, the most coming off the bat of lead-off hitter Aroon Escobar, who went 5 for 5 with three runs and two RBIs. Escobar has not only been a great hitter for Clearwater but for the Florida State League. The crowd got excited as the Threshers closed out the game, and after the game, they had a fantastic fireworks display.
What are your thoughts on the Threshers win? Leave a comment below.
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Author Profile
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Bradley Walker serves as the Director of Operations for NGSC Sports, bringing extensive experience across collegiate, professional, and amateur athletics. His coverage spans USF Athletics, including football, baseball, lacrosse, and softball, as well as University of Tampa baseball.
Bradley also provides coverage of minor league baseball with the Clearwater Threshers and Major League Baseball with the Tampa Bay Rays. On the national stage, he covers college football bowl games and conference championship matchups, along with premier golf events across the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and LPGA Tour.
In addition to his reporting work, Bradley is the play-by-play announcer for Pinellas Park High School Patriots football, lending his voice and insight to Friday night lights.
He is also an active podcast host and contributor, serving as a co-host on the P&W Sports Report and hosting The Walker Report, where he delivers in-depth sports analysis, interviews, and coverage across multiple levels of competition.
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[…] by the St. Lucie Mets, who finished with a record of 34-31 and on a three-game losing streak. The Clearwater Threshers finished third in the West Division, and at one time during the first half, they were in first […]