TAMPA, Fla. (Interstat) — Jordarlin Mendoza earned the win and Matthew Tippie recorded the save as the Tampa Tarpons blanked the Clearwater Threshers 3-0 on Sunday afternoon at George M. Steinbrenner Field in front of 525 fans. The game lasted 2 hours, 16 minutes.

Both teams managed six hits apiece but remained scoreless until the bottom of the eighth inning. Jackson Lovich delivered a two-run double to left-center field, scoring Ediel Rivera and Isael Arias. Hans Montero followed with an RBI single to left, plating Lovich.

Tampa starter J.T. Etheridge tossed four shutout innings with two hits allowed and seven strikeouts. He was the top star. Clearwater’s Cade Obermueller also threw four scoreless innings, giving up two hits with six strikeouts. Brian Walters added two hitless innings with three strikeouts for the Threshers.

Mendoza (3-3) pitched the eighth inning, allowing one hit and striking out one. Tippie notched his fourth save by working a scoreless ninth with one hit and one strikeout. Tegan Cain (1-1) took the loss for Clearwater.

The Tarpons improved to 49-37, while the Threshers fell to 50-36.