Five-Run Lead Evaporates in Blowout Loss

BRADENTON, Fla. — A depleted Marauders bullpen battled massive command struggles Friday night, surrendering a five-run lead en route to a 12-5 loss to the Dunedin Blue Jays at LECOM Park.

Two position players pitched in emergency relief for the Marauders (44-31) who walked a season-high 15 batters and have now lost 10 of their last 13 games.

A productive second inning saw Alexander Mojica slug a two-run homer for the Marauders, and later in the inning, Yoyner Fajardo added an RBI-single. An additional run scored on the play, giving Bradenton a 4-0 cushion, as Blue Jays center fielder Dasan Brown bobbled the ball, allowing Francisco Acuna to race home after stopping at third base. The Marauders sent all nine men to the plate in the four-run frame, knocking Dunedin starter Alejandro Melean out after just two innings.

But after Bradenton manufactured a run on a double-play grounder for a 5-0 lead in the third, the game gradually unraveled. Addison Barger belted a two-run homer in the top of the fourth inning off starter Logan Hofmann, who had held Dunedin (34-41) scoreless through his first three innings.

Following the Barger home run, Alex Roth threw one pitch for an inning-ending flyout in relief of Hofmann and gave way to right-hander Drake Fellows to begin the fifth. Fellows issued a two-out walk to Brown and allowed an RBI-double to Jose Ferrer, bringing the Blue Jays within two runs, 5-3.

Continuing into the sixth, Fellows struggled, loading the bases on two singles and a walk. A second walk forced home a run for the Jays, and Fellows abruptly left the game with an apparent injury. Oliver Mateo entered to pitch and uncorked a wild pitch that plated Harry Ray from third base with the tying run, but after a walk, Mateo struck out the next two batters to keep the score tied, 5-5.

Parker Brahms (1-2) pitched the seventh for the Marauders and with one out, filled the bases and proceeded to walk four batters, gifting the Blue Jays a 9-5 lead. Catcher Kyle Wilkie was summoned from the bullpen for his second emergency relief appearance of the series, bailing Bradenton out of the inning by inducing a flyout. He went on to pitch a scoreless eighth, stranding two walks.

Meanwhile, the Dunedin bullpen was silencing Marauders bats. Geison Urbaez (3-0) relieved Melean for the third inning and pitched through the sixth, allowing just one Bradenton run in the third. Eli Caballero tossed a scoreless seventh and Jefferson Herrera held the Marauders scoreless over the final two innings. Bradenton managed just three hits—all singles—after the third inning.

Francisco Acuna, who had started at third base for Bradenton, pitched the top of the ninth, allowing three unearned runs behind an Alexander Mojica throwing error, giving the Blue Jays 12 unanswered runs to finish the evening.

The series continues Saturday with first pitch scheduled for 6:05 p.m. RHP Adrian Florencio will start for the Marauders against RHP Nathanael Perez for the Blue Jays.

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

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