Cardinals Quiet Marauders to Win Series

Bradenton, Fla.- The Marauders (5-4) were stifled by the Palm Beach Cardinals (4-6) pitching staff in a series-ending 6-2 loss Saturday night at McKechnie Field. Colton Cain (L, 2-5) struck out seven in defeat for the Marauders.

The game started as a pitchers' duel between Cain and Kevin Siegrist. The Marauders collected consecutive singles from Dan Grovatt and Gift Ngoepe to start the first, but could not score with runners on second and third and nobody out. Siegrist did not allow another hit while hurling six shutout frames with five strikeouts.

Starlin Rodriguez opened the scoring in the fourth with a solo home run, his third of the year. The Cardinals scored two more in the sixth, chasing Cain after 5.1 innings, and taking a 3-0 lead into the seventh.

Kawika Emsley-Pai connected on his first career home run off Aidan Lucas in the bottom of the seventh. The homer, a two-run shot, got the Marauders back within a run at 3-2. The Marauders could not complete the comeback, as the Cardinals plated three insurance runs in the ninth. Lucas pitched a scoreless eighth and Dean Kiekefer worked through the ninth, allowing only a two-out double to Elevys Gonzalez.

The Marauders hit the road Sunday for a doubleheader at the Charlotte Sports Park. The rained out game from 6/23 will be made up with the Marauders and Stone Crabs playing the first of two seven inning contests at 4:00pm. Both games can be heard online at BradentonMarauders.com.