Aidan Miller returned from a rehab assignment with a double, a walk and a run scored as the Clearwater Threshers defeated the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels 8-2 on Sept. 5 at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Florida. Miller led off the bottom of the first inning with a double to left and scored the game’s first run. The appearance marked his first minor league game in a year.
Miller started his first game of the 2026 season and finished 1-for-2. Reece Moroney followed Miller’s double with a single that brought him home from second. After Nolan Beltran reached on a bunt single and Jonathan Hogart walked to load the bases, Will Vierling grounded into a fielder’s choice that scored Moroney and gave Clearwater a 2-0 lead.
Clearwater builds its lead
Fort Myers cut the deficit in half with a two-out RBI single in the top of the third inning. Beltran opened the bottom half with a double and later scored on Matt Quintanar’s single to left. Victor Cardoza then doubled to center, bringing home Vierling and Quintanar to give the Threshers a 5-1 advantage.
The Mighty Mussels scored on a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning, but Clearwater answered when Moroney singled home Matthew Ferrara. In the sixth, Beltran delivered a two-out RBI single after Ferrara and Moroney drew walks. Cade Climie added a two-out single in the seventh to score Quintanar and complete the Threshers’ scoring.
Clearwater pitching closes out the win
Tyler Bowen earned the win and improved to 5-2 after pitching two scoreless and hitless innings with one walk and four strikeouts. James Tallon struck out two and retired all six batters he faced in two scoreless and hitless innings. Wilmer Blanco worked a scoreless, hitless ninth with one walk and one strikeout.
Yordanis Guerra allowed two runs on five hits with one walk and three strikeouts in four innings but received no decision. Jason Reitz took the loss for Fort Myers and fell to 0-3. Clearwater’s bullpen shut out the Mighty Mussels over the final five innings.
Beltran reaches Clearwater milestone
Beltran recorded his 12th career three-hit game and became the third Thresher, alongside Matthew Ferrara and Jonathan Hogart, with at least 60 RBIs this season. It marked the first time in the Single-A era that Clearwater had three players reach at least 60 RBIs in one season. Moroney also recorded his first career multi-RBI game.
Clearwater improved to 74-54 overall and 34-28 in the second half. Fort Myers fell to 67-60 overall and 30-32 in the second half. The Clearwater Threshers were scheduled to conclude their final regular-season homestand against the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels on Sunday, Sept. 6, with first pitch at noon.
Source: Original report