Back-and-Forth Series Finale Ends with Marauders Loss

DUNEDIN, Fla. — The Marauders came back from an early one-run deficit but couldn’t hold on to a two-run lead in a 4-3 loss to the Dunedin Blue Jays on Sunday afternoon at TD Ballpark.

The Blue Jays (10-20) took a 1-0 lead in the second inning off starter Adrian Florencio, as Orelvis Martinez tripled to right-center and scored on a groundout by Miguel Hiraldo. Florencio, however, went on to strike out a career-high eight batters, walking none and allowing no further runs through five innings of work to keep the game close for the Marauders (19-11).

The score remained 1-0 Dunedin until the sixth, when Bradenton jumped in front. Endy Rodriguez reached on an error, and Hudson Head and Jase Bowen were hit by pitches to loaded the bases with none out against Blue Jays starter Naswell Paulino. Ernny Ordonez drew a bases-loaded walk to force home the tying run, and Gabriel Ponce entered in relief, allowing a go-ahead sacrifice fly to Sammy Siani and an RBI-fielder’s choice grounder to Alexander Mojica for a 3-1 Marauders lead.

But the Blue Jays immediately pushed back in the bottom half against reliever Nick Garcia (2-1). The right-hander hit Jhon Solarte and Zac Cook to open the inning, and Harry Ray followed by dropping down a bunt. Garcia barehanded the ball and threw wildly past first base, allowing Solarte to score. After a strikeout, Martinez grounded out to third, and Ray, attempting to advance from second base on the play, was thrown out at third by first baseman Endy Rodriguez, but not until after Cook had raced home with the tying run.

Garcia remained in the game the rest of the way and yielded a go-ahead RBI-single to Leo Jimenez in the bottom of the eighth, and in the ninth, the Marauders got a one-out infield single from Eli Wilson but couldn’t capitalize, as Roither Hernandez (2-1) retired the side by striking out Norkis Marcos and Sergio Campana.

With two walks and a hit-by-pitch, Hudson Head extended his on-base streak to a season-best 17 games, while Campana went 0-for-5, ending his season-high on-base streak at 10 games.

The Marauders return home to LECOM Park on Tuesday to open a six-game series against the Daytona Tortugas, the Low-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m., and both teams have yet to announce their starting pitchers.