Stone Crab Pitching Shuts Down Threshers

Clearwater Threshers continue to struggle scoring runs.

They now have scored only eight runs in their past five games after losing Wednesday evening 6-1 to the Charlotte Stone Crabs.

Chase Utley knocked in the only Thresher run in the first inning. His weak ground ball was poorly defended by first basemen Michael Sheridan and Jiwan James scored easily from third. Utley would fly out twice and strikeout in his next at bats. 

In six games Chase Utley is batting .273. Keep in mind, this is his spring training.

Jose Contreras started for the Threshers. Contreras, 39, is rehabing a strained right flexor pronator tendon. He gave up three runs on four hits in two thirds of an inning.

He signed with the Yankees in 2003 and the Phillies are the fourth team he has played for in his career.

Since winning the first five games in May, the Threshers are .500 going 6-6.

And the wins are not the only statistic suffering.

Lead off hitter Jiwan James, has seen his batting average drop from .276 to .225. The Phillies number two prospect, 20-year-old Jonathan Singleton's average has gone from .310 to .265. Twelve games ago, Joe Savery was leading the league in hitting and his average is now .362 from .433.

The injury to  catcher Sebastian Valle, who has not played since being crunched during a play at the plate last week, also has effected the scoring production.

Notes: Hak-Ju Lee, the 20-year-old future shortstop for the Rays, went 2 for 4 with a walk and a stolen base.

On deck: Threshers and Stone Crabs play the second game of the series at 7 p.m. Thursday at Bright House Field.