Suárez Leads Strong Pitching Staff as Threshers Cruise to Victory 

WP: Sam Highfill (1-0, 0.84)

LP: Leonel Sequera (0-1, 3.09)

BOX SCORE

JUPITER, FL – Phillies All-Star Ranger Suárez looked sharp with seven strikeouts in his second rehab start as the Clearwater Threshers (7-4) took down the Palm Beach Cardinals (7-4) by a 7-1 margin on Wednesday night at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. The Threshers look to take the series lead when they return on Thursday evening.

Aroon Escobar sparked a fast start with a double on the second pitch of the game off Palm Beach starter Leonel Sequera. With one out in the first, Eduardo Tait plated the Threshers’ first run, singling in Escobar to make it 1-0.

The Threshers continued their early rally in the second when Brady Day led off the inning with a four-pitch walk. He moved to second on a balk and scored on a Kodey Shojinaga single to make it 2-0. With two outs in the inning, Avery Owusu-Asiedu tripled to right-centerfield, scoring Shojinaga from first and extending the Threshers’ advantage to three runs.

Palm Beach got on the board with three hits and a run in the bottom of the fourth, cutting the Threshers’ lead to two runs. The Threshers got the run back after newly entered Cardinals reliever Angel Cuenca walked Owusu-Asiedu and Escobar to start the frame. Avery moved to third on a fielder’s choice and scored on a deep fly ball to left from Eduardo Tait that was caught for a sacrifice fly, making it 4-1 Threshers at the halfway point.

After the first out in the top of the sixth, the Threshers' bats went off for four big hits. Carter Mathison started the rally with a one-out double, and after Shojinaga walked, Diego González loaded the bases with a single. Two pitches later, Owusu-Asiedu smacked a single into left, plating two runs and extending the Threshers’ lead to five. With two outs, Dante Nori singled to center, scoring González from second and bringing the Threshers’ lead to 7-1. Clearwater didn’t allow any more hits after the eighth, sealing a 7-1 victory to even the series.

Ranger Suárez allowed one run on three hits in 4.0 innings of work, walking one and striking out seven in a no-decision. Raymon Rosario tossed 1.2 shutout innings, with two hits and no runs allowed. Sam Highfill (1-0) earned the win in 3.1 shutout innings, allowing one hit and one walk with five strikeouts.

Escobar has reached safely in each of his first nine games as a Thresher...Shojinaga has now hit safely in seven consecutive games, tied for the longest streak of the FSL season...Highfill earned his first professional victory... Owusu-Asiedu had his first multi-hit and multi-RBI game of the year...Everyone in the Threshers lineup recorded at least one hit...Two of Clearwater’s seven runs were driven in with two outs...The Threshers return to Palm Beach on Thursday to continue their series against the Palm Beach Cardinals...First pitch on will be at 6:30 pm...You can purchase Threshers tickets at ThreshersBaseball.com/tickets or by calling 727-467-4457…The Box Office at BayCare Ballpark is also open daily to purchase tickets…The hours are 10 AM-5 PM Monday through Friday and 10 AM-3 PM on Saturdays.