The Clearwater Threshers beat the Sarasota Reds 4-3 last night at Ed Smith Stadium to advance to the Florida State League Championship Series against the Brevard County Manatees.
Shane Figueroa has a great game recap with quotes from Clearwater Threshers players on MiLB.com.
The Threshers traveled after the game to the East Coast to get ready for Game 1 tonight at 7:00pm in Brevard County.
The Clearwater Threshers beat the Sarasota Reds 3-2 yesterday at Ed Smith Stadium to tie up the West Division Series at one game apiece.
Lou Marson doubled twice on the night, scoring a run and also knocking in a RBI. John Urick also had two hits and a RBI.
Reliever Will Savage came into the game in the seventh inning and shut down the Reds to earn the save. He struck out five of the nine batters he faced, and gave up no hits.
The West Division Title will be settled tonight in Sarasota. The game is scheduled for a 7:00pm start. The winner travels to Brevard County, who beat St. Lucie for the East Division Championship. The FSL Championship Series is best-of-five.
A contingent of approximately 75 Threshers staffers and fans made their way to Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota last night, and unfortunately the only action we saw on the field was the tarp crew. A heavy rain storm moved through Sarasota right near game time and was still going strong as the Reds made the decision around 8:15pm to postpone Game 2 until today (Thursday). It is scheduled for 7:00pm and will be a nine-inning game.
This could push the FSL Playoff Schedule back a day depending on the outcome tonight. The earliest that the Threshers could now host a game (in Round 2) would be Monday, September 10.
Updated 1:55pm: Andrew Carpenter is now the scheduled starter for Game 2 tonight.
The Reds won Game 1 by a score of 2-0 on the strength of a masterful pitching performance by Ben Jukich. The Threshers did have a chance to steal the win in the ninth, as they managed to load the bases with reliever Derrik Lutz on the mound. However, Jake Blalock's towering shot fell just short of the outfield wall.
Phil Denis has a game story in today's Sarasota Herald-Tribune that can be found here.
The Threshers travel to Sarasota tonight for Game 2 of the FSL West Division Playoffs. The game is set to start at 7:00pm. Sarasota brought a pretty large contingent up here for yesterday's game, so let's outshine them tonight in their ballpark!
It's official. The game over in Tampa tonight has been rained out. They will try for a doubleheader at Legends Field tomorrow.
The Last Time It Happened...
The last time the Threshers played a full nine-inning game was Saturday, July 28. It was an 8-2 victory over the Sarasota Reds in front of 4,000+ fans at Bright House Networks Field. The game lasted two hours and thirty-two minutes.
Game Time: 6:30pm Gates Open:5:00pm
Tonight's Lineup
TBA
Tonight's starting pitcher is Cruse. This is his first start since being promoted from Lakewood.
Boom Boom Boom
Fireworks will light up the sky post-game.
Vrrrm Vrrrm Vrrrm
Participate
Motorcycle Night returns to Bright House Networks Field. Ride your motorcycle to the game and take part in the Pre-Game Lap around the Field at 6:00pm and during the National Anthem. Participants receive a voucher for one free draft beer (post-lap), a free ticket, free parking, and drink specials at the Frenchy's Tiki Pavilion. Participants should check in with Dan McDonough near the fountain at the West Gate upon arrival to the ballpark.
There will also be a motorcycle show contest judged by Full Throttle Magazine. The contest is FREE to enter. First prize is $500. Second Prize is $250. Third Prize is $100
Register to Win
Fans can register at the booth behind home plate to win a Harley Davidson Dyna Family motorcycle courtesy of Fletcher's Harley Davidson. A name will be drawn if a Threshers player hits for the cycle. Also, motorcycle-related prizes will be given away between innings.
First Start
Nate Johnson picked up his first win of the year yesterday in his first start since he was a member of the Lakewood BlueClaws in 2005. He gave up four hits and struck out three in five innings of work.
Harman's Hot Bat
Brad Harman was two for four yesterday against Sarasota. He hit his seventh home run of the year last night that bounced off the roof of Frenchy's Tiki Pavilion. He's batting .450 over his last six games.
Headed Across the Border
The Phillies optioned former Thresher Michael Zagurski to Ottawa on Friday, July 27 after they activated Brett Myers from the disabled list.
Have some time to recap some of our recent transactions. Reader SF Fan in FL noted one of them (Moran) in a comment from another post.
June 22
PJ Antoniato added from Lakewood.
Jesus Sanchez sent back to GCL Phillies.
Arlon Quiroz added from the GCL Phillies.
June 23
Javon Moran added from GCL Phillies rehab assignment.
Some background on our new players:
PJ Antoniato - Antoniato is a 5'9" 1865lb third baseman from Levittown, NY. He turns 24 one week from today. He split time playing college ball with Briarcliffe College and St. John's University. The Phillies selected him in the 15th round of the 2005 draft. Antoniato should look familiar to Threshers fans, as he did play 16 games for Clearwater in 2006.
Arlon Quiroz - Quiroz is a 6'0" 170lb outfielder from Venezuela. He signed with the Phillies as a free agent before the 2005 season. This is his first professional season outside the Venezuelan Summer League.
Javon Moran - Moran is a 5'11" 175lb outfielder from Valdosta, GA. He played his college ball at Auburn before being selected by the Phillies in the fourth round of the 2003 draft. He was traded to the Reds in 2004 and since then has spent time going betweeen Dayton and Sarasota (Single-A), as well as Chattanooga (Double-A). The Reds sent him back to the Phillies after the 2006 season as part of the Jeff Conine trade. Moran was batting .308 in 42 games with Reading (Double-A) prior to the injury that sent him to Clearwater for a rehab assignment with the GCL club and the Threshers.
The first half of the 2007 Florida State League season is nearing the end, but it's not today, despite the FSL All-Star Weekend in Daytona starting tomorrow. The official end of the first half for the Threshers will be June 20 in Sarasota.
With four games remaining in the first half, the Threshers are just three games back in the standings. Sarasota currently holds the lead, but the Tampa Yankees are just one and a half games back from the Reds.
The top two teams in the FSL West are set to meet for a three-game series that starts tonight at 7:00pm at Bright House Networks Field. The Sarasota Reds currently lead the Threshers in the standings by one game.
The Threshers and Reds have met up six times already this season, with the Reds leading the series four games to two.
Threshers starters Patrick Overholt and Carlos Carrasco picked up both of the wins. Former closer Michael Zagurski picked up both saves.
Mike Spidale is probably the happiest Threshers' batter to see Sarasota pitching. In his five games against the Reds this season, he's batting .350.
Keep your eye on Jay Bruce of the Reds. He's batting .455 with 4 home runs in six games against Threshers pitching. Threshers batters have struggled against Johnny Cueto and Carlos Fisher. Between the two, they've struck out 19 Threshers. More importantly, the Threshers haven't scored a run against either Cueto or Fisher. There is good news though, Fisher was promoted to Chattanooga (AA) a week or so ago, and he pitched yesterday, so the chances of him taking the mound this weekend at Bright House Networks Field are very slim.
Michael Zagurski has been coming out of the bullpen for the Threshers since the start of the season. He's picked up fives saves in his first 11 appearances. Zagurski has only struggled once this season, giving up his only two runs of the year in a road game at Tampa in the middle of April. His current ERA is 1.17 over 15.1 innings pitched.
He is holding opponents to a .102 batting average. Of the 56 batters he has faced this year, 29 were struck out. Only five have gotten a hit against him.
Here is a closer look at a few of his outings:
4/11 Home vs. Tampa - Struck out five of seven batters faced.
4/13 Home vs. Lakeland - Struck out three of four batters faced.
4/17 Away vs. Tampa - Struck out both batters faced and picked up a save.
4/21 Home vs. Sarasota - Struck out only batter faced and picked up a save.
4/26 Road vs. Lakeland - Struck out five of eight batters faced.
4/30 Home vs. Ft. Myers - Struck out four of six batters faced.
5/9 Home vs. Vero Beach - Struck out all three batters he faced and picked up a save.
Zagurski, age 24, is a 6'0" 225lb left-hander out of Omaha, Nebraska. He was drafted out of the University of Kansas by the Phillies in the 12th round of the 2005 draft. He spent the rest of the 2005 season with Batavia. He struck out 75 out of the 231 batters he faced last season while with Lakewood.
For whatever reason, blogger wouldn't let me update my previous post...
Updated at Noon: After splitting yesterday's doubleheader with Tampa, the Threshers record sits at 3-3 which ties them for second place in the FSL West with Dunedin and Tampa. Sarasota leads the division with a 5-1 record. Sarasota and Dunedin play tonight in Sarasota, while Clearwater and Tampa finish off the series tonight. Gates open at 6:00pm for the 7:00pm game.
The Threshers are currently the hottest hitting team in the FSL with a team batting average of .289. Jeremy Slayden and Greg Golson are leading the team and are still in the FSL Top 10 in batting average. Slayden is batting .400 with six RBIs and Golson is batting .375 with four RBIs through their first six games. Golson's five extra-base hits so far put him in second place in the league.
Clay Harris is tied for the FSL league lead in home runs with two.
We had a couple transactions on our roster yesterday. Pete Shier was promoted to Reading, and Freddy Garcia has officially completed his rehab assignment.
Looking outside of Clearwater, former Notre Dame wide receiver Jeff Samardzija is scheduled to start tonight for the Daytona Cubs in their game at Vero Beach.
Updated at 2:15pm 
Just caught a picture (above) of our hat for our give-a-way tomorrow.
The first 1,000 guests receive a hat. The give-a-way is sponsored by Richard's Charter.
Baseball America just published their list of the Top 20 prospects in the Florida State League. Only one Thresher player made the list and he is outfielder Greg Golson, who snuck in at number 20. Sarasota pitcher Homer Bailey, who finished the season in AA, topped the list.
Julio De La Cruz tossed a no-hitter in Friday's 5-0 win over the Sarasota Reds in front of a crowd of 5,906 at Bright House Networks Field. Please check the Official Site later for more information.
It turns out that the Ryan Franklin trade with the Reds is going to have an effect on the Threshers roster. Right-handed reliever Zac Stott is the "player to be named later" who completes the trade. Stott was pitching for the Sarasota Reds and is going to be assigned to the Clearwater Threshers shortly.
He is 23 years old, and stands 6'5" and weighs 200 lbs.
Stott had a 1-2 record with a 2.53 ERA and one save in 17 appearances with Sarasota. He allowed 23 hits and struck out 22 batters in his 32 innings of work. He started the 2006 season with the Dayton Dragons.
Threshers right-handed pitcher Andy Baldwin was just named Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Week for June 5-11.
Baldwin threw his second complete game of his career on June 9th against the Sarasota Reds and has had a spectacular June so far, going 2-0 with a 1.69 ERA.
Baldwin, who attended Oregon State University, was a Phillies 5th round draft pick in the 2004 draft.
Baldwin was Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Week twice in 2005 while with the Lakewood BlueClaws.
Baldwin, age 23, was born in Duluth, Minnesota but currently resides in Corvalis, Oregon.
Updated 6/14/06 at 10:30am: The release is up on the Official Site
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