Photo Credit: Bradley Walker NGSC Sports
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The Clearwater Threshers finished up their home series with the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels. The Threshers have a six-game series in Fort Myers later on this month. It was a warm and breezy day. The weather in Florida this time of year keeps many inside or enjoying their pools or beaches if available. There were not many in attendance, and the ushers gave me a hard time when I chose to sit in a joking manner. The second half of the season has not been the greatest of starts for Clearwater. Some of the players from the first half have been promoted, which in minor league baseball is great. Many of the fans hate to see the players go, but it’s great to be one step closer to the majors. The team has struggled, and it shows as they rank seventh out of ten teams.
We all know that in baseball, pitching is one of the more important aspects of the game. The game started very slowly for both teams. One of the players for the Mighty Mussels had a very interesting batting stance. Peyton Carr, before the ball reaches home plate, has his front foot completely off the ground. That did not matter at all, as most of the hits or the ones he missed were hit hard and solid. Carr went 1 for 4, but the three times he was out, he hit the ball on a line. It seemed that Fort Myers was off right from the start. That favored Clearwater, as in the bottom of the second, Kodey Shojinaga hit a line drive to center field, scoring Juan Villavicencio and giving Clearwater an early 1-0 lead. The MLB is talking about finally implementing the automatic strike zone.
We will see for the first time in this week’s MLB All-Star game. One of the aspects is that balls and strikes can be challenged. The only players that can challenge them are the hitter, pitcher, and catcher. Most of the games that I have been to this season, one team has run out of challenges. That is exactly what happened to the Mighty Mussels. By the top of the third inning, they were out of challenges. Fort Myers did win their first challenge, but then lost the rest, which resulted in them having no more. One of the biggest hits came in the bottom of the fourth off the bat of Devin Saltiban, who hit a three-run home run. At the time, it gave the Threshers a 4-0 lead. The next run for Clearwater came off an infield mishap that resulted in another RBI for Shojinaga.
The run came on a fielder’s choice, and just two innings later, Clearwater had another home run. This time, it was a two-run shot off the bat of Donte Nori. This was the nail in the coffin for the Mighty Mussels as they fell behind 7-0. Today’s game, the pitching for Clearwater was great, and it kept Fort Myers off the scoreboard despite giving up seven hits. The two shining stars for the Threshers were the top two batters in the lineup. Devin Saltiban went 3 for 5 with two runs and three RBI’s, and Dante Nori went 3 for 4 with one run and two RBI’s. Despite the low attendance, the fans who were at the game cheered loudly after another win at Baycare Ballpark. Speaking of the ballpark, Clearwater will be getting a new state-of-the-art scoreboard from the big club, the Philadelphia Phillies.
What are your thoughts on the Threshers’ win over the Mighty Mussels? Leave a comment below.
For all your MiLB news, log on to ngscsports.com.
For more, follow me on social media on Facebook: Bradley Walker, on X: bradwalker3083, and my two weekly sports podcasts: The P&W Sports Report and The Walker Report.
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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[…] is up in the air, and there is no timeframe for a deal could get done. Both the Phillies and Threshers are hoping a deal can be done soon so that both franchises can continue to call the city of […]