The Threshers lost to division-leading Charlotte in the first game of a double header, 8-2.  As I type this, water from a heavy, between games downpour is ponding in foul territory in front of the left field stands.  The start of second game is in doubt.

This is probably not a bad outcome for the Threshers.  Although they outhit the Stone Crabs 11-10, they still looked to be suffering the after affects of a virus that attacked the coaches and players at the end of their recently completed road trip.  Some media outlets had reported that the team had contracted food poisoning, but those stories were incorrect.

Colin Kleven was one of those most affected and missed his turn in the rotation.  David Whitehead was bumped up for the early game to beat the weather and Yacksel Rios was tabbed for the nightcap.

Whitehead pitched 5.0 innings, but didn’t look to be as sharp as he normally is.  He got 2 quick outs, then watched the Tampa Rays top prospect, Willie Adames, line a double down the left field line.  He was out of the inning when he got a ground ball to J.P. Crawford, but a high hop that handcuffed him was ruled an error.  The next batter drove a ball through the wind into the left field bleachers.

Whitehead battled over the next few innings, but 3 hits in the fourth inning led to 2 more runs.  A solo home run in the fifth closed out the scoring against Whitehead.  After his 77-pitch performance, he gave way to Cody Forsythe.  The Stone Crabs came into the game with 8 home runs on the season.  They picked up their third of the game against Forsythe.

The Threshers 11-hit attack featured one XBH, a double to center by Mitchell Walding.  Two of their 10 singles were bunt base hits by Chase Harris and Crawford.  Four Threshers had 2-hit games.  Dylan Cozens and Willians Astudillo went 2 for 4; and Angelo Mora and Harris went 2 for 3.  Crawford scored from first on a single and a fielding error by the right fielder on a Cozens’ single.  Harris picked up the team’s only RBI when he drove in Walding from third with one of his singles.  Aaron Brown returned to the line up for the first time since coming off the DL.

Crawford opened the home first with a walk, he has at least one in each of his 5 games.  He later led off the fifth with a single.  On both occasions, the next batter popped up to shallow left on the first pitch.  As a team, these guys swing at a lot of first pitches.  Enough that even I notice.

Still raining, the puddles are getting bigger and are starting to form on the warning track and in front of the bleachers in foul territory down the right side.  This is supposed to stop within 45 minutes, but I don’t know if the field can handle it.  Charlotte is hear for two more days.  They can re-schedule if needed.

The  box score for this game is here.