Marauders hold off Mets 4-3 for 9th straight win

BRADENTON, Fla. (May 11, 2024) – The Bradenton Marauders extended their winning streak to nine consecutive games with a tight 4-3 victory over the St. Lucie Mets on Saturday night at LECOM Park. The Mets lost their eighth straight game.

The Marauders scored the tie-breaking run in the sixth inning on a series of walks and wild pitches. Then Bradenton held off a ninth inning rally by the Mets to close out the game.

With the game tied 3-3 in the sixth, the Marauders drew a leadoff walk and a one-out walk from Mets starter Wyatt Hudepohl. Reliever Juan Arnaud came in and threw a wild pitch to send runners to second and third. Arnaud then issued an intentional walk to load the bases. Arnaud struck out Kalae Harrison for the second out, but then uncorked a wild pitch to the back stop with two strikes on Justin Miknis to bring home Joshua Palacios for the go-ahead run. Arnaud struck out Miknis on the next pitch.

The Mets tried to rally in the ninth. Yohairo Cuevas started the inning by getting plunked by Magdiel Cotto. A one-out pinch hit single by Jesus Baez sent Cuevas to third base as the tying run. However, Cotto got Diego Mosquera to pop out in foul territory and Marco Vargas to ground out to third base to ice the game.

The Mets jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning on a two-run homer by Jeffry Rosa. It was Rosa’s second straight game with a homer.

After facing the minimum through three no-hit innings, Hudepohl got roughed up by the Marauders in the fourth inning. Bradenton scored three runs on four hits in the frame to grab a 3-2 lead.

Estarling Mercado led off the top of the fifth with a home run to tie the game 3-3. It was his second of the year.

After hitting just seven home runs in the first 30 games, the Mets have slugged four home runs in the last two.

Hudepohl took the loss. He was charged with four runs over 5.1 innings.

Saul Garcia pitched 2.0 hitless and scoreless innings with three strikeouts to finish the game on the mound for the Mets.

Rosa went 2 for 4 in the loss. He has hit safely in all three games since his promotion from the FCL Mets. Cuevas was 2 for 3.

Baez’s pinch hit single extended his hitting streak to 12 games.

Bradenton reliever Yolin De La Paz was credited with the win after tossing 2.2 scoreless innings.

The Mets (12-20) and Marauders (14-18) play the series finale of their six-game set on Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.