Marauders Fall on Late Mets Homer
Port St. Lucie, FL - The Marauders (41-37, 6-3) were sunk on a walk-off home run by St. Lucie's (45-32, 5-3) Eudy Pina as the Mets snagged a 4-3 walk-off win at Tradition Field on Saturday night. Pina's home run, his sixth this season, was pull directly down the left field line off Robby Rowland (L, 2-7) to lead off the bottom of the ninth.
Bradenton trailed 3-1 into the top of the eighth, but Max Moroff and Josh Bell keyed a Marauders rally off St. Lucie reliever Robert Coles. Moroff doubled to left, and Bell followed with a run-scoring double and went to third on an errant throw back to the infield. Jose Osuna grounded out to bring home Bell and even the score 3-3.
The Marauders erased an early 1-0 deficit when Jordan Steranka led off the top of the second inning with his third home run in as many games and his fifth of the season. The bomb was the only run allowed by Mets starter Gabriel Ynoa over seven innings.
John Kuchno started for Bradenton and allowed two runs over six innings. Ryan Hafner allowed one run in the seventh, while Jeff Inman pitched a perfect eighth. Mets righty Paul Sewald (2-1) took the win after delivering a scoreless top of the ninth.
Bell extended his hitting streak to 14 games. Adam Frazier hit safely for the 11th straight game. Walker Gouley saw his 11-game streak end.
The Marauders and Mets play the middle game of the series on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. Jason Creasy will be on the mound for the Marauders. Michael Fulmer is slated to toe the rubber for St. Lucie. The game will be broadcast online at www.BradentonMarauders.com.