Bats Sputter in Rain-Shortened Marauders Loss
BRADENTON, Fla. — The Marauders fell behind early Saturday night and managed just two hits—both home runs—and the game was completed early due to inclement weather in a 7-3 loss to the Clearwater Threshers at LECOM Park. Domingo Gonzalez was on the mound for the Marauders (38-21) with two out
BRADENTON, Fla. — The Marauders fell behind early Saturday night and managed just two hits—both home runs—and the game was completed early due to inclement weather in a 7-3 loss to the Clearwater Threshers at LECOM Park.
Domingo Gonzalez was on the mound for the Marauders (38-21) with two out and a runner on first base in the top of the ninth inning when lightning approached the area. Rain began falling shortly afterwards, and the game was called early after a 30-minute delay.
The Threshers (31-28) jumped on Marauders starter Adrian Florencio (3-2) in the first inning, opening the game with back-to-back singles to set the table for Johan Rojas, who sent a 1-2 pitch from Florencio over the right-field wall for a three-run homer. Florencio also surrendered a Baron Radcliff RBI-single before escaping the inning, which saw the righty throw 33 pitches before escaping.
Dariel Lopez quickly brought the Marauders within two runs in the bottom of the first, lining a two-run homer to right field off Victor Vargas (4-0).
Florencio recovered to hold Clearwater scoreless over the next four innings, but Bradenton bats fell silent. After Francisco Acuna was hit by a pitch in the second inning, bringing the tying run to the plate for the Marauders, Kyle Wilkie grounded into an inning-ending double play. Vargas and reliever Eduar Segovia went on to retire the next 15 Bradenton batters in a row through the seventh inning.
Meanwhile, the Threshers added two runs in the sixth, when a bases-loaded jam against reliever Parker Brahms saw a two-out throwing error by Lopez plate two runners for a 6-2 Clearwater advantage.
The two teams exchanged solo homers in the eighth inning. Abrahan Gutierrez homered to center field for the Threshers in the top half, and Alexander Mojica led off the bottom of the eighth for the Marauders with a solo homer to right field, but the next three batters went down in order.
Maikol Escotto went 0-for-3 in the game, ending his on-base streak at 18 games, his second-longest of the season.
The series concludes Sunday with first pitch scheduled for 1:05 p.m. at LECOM Park. Pirates LHP Steven Brault is scheduled to make a rehab start for the Marauders against RHP Fernando Lozano for the Threshers.
For more information about the Bradenton Marauders, please call (941) 747-3031, visit BradentonMarauders.com, or email [email protected].