Beach Birds Blank Bradenton Bats Tuesday Night

JUPITER, Fla. — Despite numerous threats on the basepaths, the Marauders were unable to drive a run home Tuesday night in a 4-0 loss to the Palm Beach Cardinals at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.

The Marauders (16-18) have now lost six of their last seven games and have been shut out for the fourth time this season.

Bradenton put numerous runners on base against Cardinals (12-22) starter Trent Baker (2-4), but went just 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position. Jase Bowen was left stranded in the second inning after a leadoff double, Tsung-Che Cheng doubled to open the fourth, but after a walk, saw a double play turned behind him and was left on third base, and Rodolfo Nolasco was thrown out at third base to end the sixth inning as he attempted to advance to third on a Bowen single.

Baker would finish with after scoreless innings, striking out six and scattering four hits.

Marauders starter Luis Peralta (0-3) turned in a respectable outing, surrendering hard contact in the early innings before settling down. The left-hander allowed a solo homer in the second to Brady Whalen for the game’s first run, then allowed three straight one-out hits in the third, including an Osvaldo Tovalin RBI-double, to stretch Palm Beach’s lead to 2-0. But after the double, Peralta proceeded to retire eight of his final nine batters faced in a season-high five innings. The southpaw struck out five and walked none.

In the top of the eighth, the Marauders appeared on the brink of a turnaround, getting a two-out single from Brenden Dixon off reliever Jose Moreno, who threw a wild pitch to advance Dixon to second. Cheng laid down a bunt single, placing runners on the corners, but Nolasco struck out swinging to end the frame.

After two scoreless innings of relief work by Marauders righty Carlos Lomeli, who stranded a runner in both of his innings pitch, the Cardinals hassled Marauders reliever Yunior Thibo for two runs in the bottom of the eighth. Thibo saw Palm Beach load the bases on back-to-back walks and a single, and a Luis Rodriguez plated a run on a groundout before a Thibo wild pitch allowed Jeremy Rivas to score from third, handing the Cardinals a 4-0 lead.

In the ninth, minor league rehabber Fabricio Macias worked a one-out walk for Bradenton and advanced to second base on a deep flyout, but was left stranded.

The Marauders series continues Wednesday with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. RHP Valentin Linarez (0-3, 8.44 ERA) will start for the Marauders against RHP Zane Mills (1-2, 3.47 ERA) for Palm Beach.

For more information about the Bradenton Marauders, please call (941) 747-3031, visit BradentonMarauders.com, or email [email protected].

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