The Tampa Tarpons defeated the Clearwater Threshers 7-5 on Sept. 10, 2026, at BayCare Ballpark, eliminating Clearwater from the playoffs. Will Gasparino’s first professional triple briefly put the Threshers ahead in the sixth inning before Tampa rallied late to complete a 2-0 playoff record.
The Clearwater Threshers finished the regular season with a 74-55 record and went 0-2 in the playoffs. The Tampa Tarpons finished 78-51 in the regular season and improved to 2-0 in the playoffs. Tampa’s Pedro Rodriguez earned the win and improved to 1-0 with a 0.00 earned-run average.
Gasparino puts Clearwater ahead
Neither team recorded a hit or scored a run through the first three innings. The Tarpons opened the scoring with a two-run home run in the fourth inning, but Matthew Ferrara answered with a solo home run for Clearwater.
Ferrara’s home run was the Clearwater Threshers’ first playoff home run since Aidan Miller hit one in 2023. The score remained 2-1 until the sixth inning, when Nolan Beltran was hit by a pitch and Jonathan Hogart drew a walk with two outs. Gasparino followed with a two-run triple that scored Beltran and Hogart and gave Clearwater its first lead of the game.
Cole Gilley allowed two runs on three hits with three strikeouts in six innings and received a no-decision. He worked into the sixth inning in a start for the first time in his professional career.
Tarpons rally late
Tampa tied the game at 3 in the eighth inning on a two-out double. Wilberson De Peña followed with a two-run home run to give the Tarpons the lead, and Tampa added two more runs in the ninth inning.
Clearwater answered in the bottom of the ninth. Gasparino led off with a single and advanced to third on Macon Winslow’s walk before Victor Cardoza entered as a pinch runner for Winslow. Will Vierling then hit an RBI single to score Gasparino.
After the first two outs, Reece Moroney delivered another RBI single to bring the Threshers within two runs. Clearwater could not complete the comeback with the go-ahead run at the plate.
Richie Cortese allowed two runs on three hits with three strikeouts in 1.2 innings, taking the loss and a blown save. Orlando Gonzalez allowed three runs on two hits in 0.1 inning, while Kyler Carmack allowed one hit and no earned runs in one inning.
Hogart reached base safely in each of the final 18 games of the Clearwater Threshers’ season and playoffs, dating to Aug. 12. The 2026 season has concluded, and the Clearwater Threshers are scheduled to begin the 2027 series at home against the Tampa Tarpons in April.
Source: Original report