Gonzalez Fans 10 as Marauders Cruise Past 'Tugas

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Domingo Gonzalez struck out 10 batters and received a wealth of run support on Thursday night as the Marauders rolled to an 11-1 win over the Daytona Tortugas at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

The win was the third straight for the Marauders (41-21) and placed the team a season-high 20 games over .500.

Gonzalez’s 10 strikeouts over six innings matched his career high from August 19, 2019, when he struck out 10 over six innings for the GCL Pirates. Gonzalez (3-3) allowed just four hits and walked none, throwing 53 of his 71 pitches for strikes.

Right-hander Eddy Yean provided three scoreless innings behind Gonzalez, striking out five and walking none while allowing just one baserunner, hitting Wendell Marrero with a pitch in the ninth.

Offensively, the Marauders built an early lead for the third straight night, getting an RBI-double in the second inning from Francisco Acuna, who promptly scored on a Yoyner Fajardo single for a 2-0 Bradenton lead.

In the third, the Marauders roughed up Tortugas (28-35) starter James Marinan (1-3) for five more runs. The right-hander filled the bases with three straight walks, and after Ernny Ordonez plated a run with a soft groundout to first base, Jase Bowen followed with a sacrifice fly to center field for a 4-0 Marauders advantage. A fielding miscue by third baseman Debby Santana brought another Bradenton run home, and Acuna lined an RBI-single to center, knocking Marinan from the game. Fajardo capped the rally with an RBI-infield single off reliever Juan Abril, giving the Marauders a convincing 7-0 lead.

The Tortugas brought home their lone run in the bottom of the third, when Ranser Amador tripled past the diving reach of Marauders center fielder Hudson Head, then scored on a sacrifice fly by Gus Steiger.

A bases-loaded walk by Jack Herman in the fifth inning added another run to Bradenton’s total, and home runs by Head and Kyle Wilkie in the seventh and ninth, respectively, rounded out the scoring for the Marauders. Head’s home run, a two-run shot, was his team-leading ninth of the season, and Wilkie’s solo blast was his first as a Marauder.

All nine batters in Bradenton’s order reached base safely in the game, and seven of the nine recorded a hit.

The series continues Friday with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. RHP Logan Hofmann will start for the Marauders against RHP Miguel Medrano for the Tortugas.

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

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