Threshers hit late homers to sweep doubleheader from St. Lucie Mets

Gaddis hits 2nd home run in series

CLEARWATER, Fla. (July 1, 2021) – The Clearwater Threshers swept a doubleheader over the St. Lucie Mets on Thursday at BayCare Ballpark. The Threshers won the first game 5-3 (box score) then won game 2, 4-2 (box score).

In both contests the Threshers hit go-ahead home runs in the bottom of the sixth and closed out the game in the top of the seventh. 

In game 1, Juan Aparicio broke a 3-3 tie with a two-out, two-run homer off Mets starter Junior Santos. 

The Mets got a pair of hits in the seventh, but Gabriel Yanez got Alex Ramirez to pop out to end the game. 

Santos (2-3) pitched all six innings for the Mets. He allowed five runs on eight hits with one walk and six strikeouts. 

Brandon McIlwain went 2 for 3 in the loss. Ramirez hit a double and Cole Kleszcz bashed RBI triple. 

Yanez (3-0) pitched 2.1 scoreless innings with three strikeouts to get the win. 

In game 2, Kendal Simmons hit two-run homer against Mets starter Oscar Rojas with no outs in the sixth to turn a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 lead for the Threshers. Jose Tortolero would add a RBI double later in the inning to pad the lead. 

Threshers reliever Erubiel Armenta struck out Ramirez to end the game in the seventh, stranding the tying run at second base. 

Erubiel (1-0) and Threshers starter Cristian Hernandez combined for 14 strikeouts and no walks. 

Nic Gaddis went 2 for 3 with a double and a home run in game 2. His solo homer in the third inning provided the Mets a 2-1 lead. It was his second home run in two days. 

Rojas (2-1) took the loss for the Mets. He gave up four runs on six hits in over 5.1 innings. 

Of the nine runs the Threshers scored in the doubleheader, six of the runs came on four homers. 

The Mets (27-24) and Threshers (27-24) will play a single nine-inning game on Friday. First pitch from BayCare Ballpark is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.