Brevard's bats baffled by Bradenton
BRADENTON, Fla. - The Brevard County Manatees dropped its first game of inter-division play in 2013 as they were defeated 4-1, by the Bradenton Marauders on Sunday evening at McKechnie Field in Bradenton.
The 'Tees (12-11) were held in check offensively by Bradenton (8-15) starting pitcher Nick Kingham. Kingham threw six shutout innings and allowed just three hits, while setting a new single-game Marauders' record with 13 strikeouts.
The Marauders got on the board first in the fifth inning. Willy Garcia led off the frame by reaching on an infield single and then advancing to second on a throwing error by shortstop Yadiel Rivera.
Two batters later, Taylor Lewis singled to right to plate Garcia and Garcia advanced to third on a fielding error by right fielder Dionis Hinojosa.
Manatees starting pitcher David Goforth (1-3, 2.74) was able to get out of the jam as Lewis was retired at third on a fielder's choice and then Alex Hanson popped out to Cameron Garfield to end the inning.
Goforth went six innings and allowed just the one unearned run on four hits and two walks. In the last five games, Manatees' starting pitchers have allowed just one earned run in 28 innings of work.
Bradenton padded its lead against Brevard's bullpen as a two-out double by Carlos Mesa off of Andre Lamontagne in the seventh made it a 2-0 game. The Marauders scored two more off of Matt Miller in the eighth on four hits.
From the first to the eighth inning, the Manatees had just three runners get past first base. Brevard County scored its only run in the top of the ninth on a RBI double from Cody Hawn.
Hawn along with Garfield had two hits each in the loss for the 'Tees. Garfield is hitting .368 (7-for-19) in his last five games.
Brevard County and Bradenton will be back in action at McKechnie Field on Monday night beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Southpaw Brent Suter (0-1, 1.80 with Class-A Wisconsin) will be getting the start in his debut for the Manatees. The Marauders will send Matt Benedict (0-3, 3.66) to the mound.