Marauders Bats Flattened in 3-1 Loss at St. Lucie
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — A scoreless battle carried into the seventh inning Saturday night, when the St. Lucie Mets got to the Marauders bullpen for three runs and dealt Bradenton an eventual 3-1 loss at Clover Park. Bradenton managed just two hits in the game, one of which was
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — A scoreless battle carried into the seventh inning Saturday night, when the St. Lucie Mets got to the Marauders bullpen for three runs and dealt Bradenton an eventual 3-1 loss at Clover Park.
Bradenton managed just two hits in the game, one of which was a solo homer by Maikol Escotto in the eighth inning, producing the team’s only run of the night. The other, an Endy Rodriguez single in the second inning, extended Rodriguez’s on-base streak to 20 consecutive games.
The loss prevents the Marauders (43-27) from winning the series, as the club will go for the series split in Sunday’s finale. This is the first time this season the Marauders will play two straight series without winning one.
Right-hander Adrian Florencio turned in five scoreless innings on the mound for Bradenton while working around traffic, allowing four hits and walking two but stranding runners in scoring position in the third and fourth innings. Marauders bats were unable to generate run support during Florencio’s time on the mound.
St. Lucie (38-33) starter David Griffin fared even better, taking a shutout into the seventh inning. Griffin struggled with command at times, walking five batters, but struck out eight and allowed just one hit.
With the game still scoreless, the Marauders were poised to score the game’s first run in the seventh, getting a pair of walks from Griffin. The right-hander yielded to reliever Liam McCall (2-1) with two outs, and after Daniel Rivero walked to load the bases, Yoyner Fajardo grounded out, ending the Bradenton threat.
Marauders reliever Ryan Troutman (2-1) ran into trouble in the bottom of the seventh. After working a scoreless sixth, Troutman struggled in the seventh, issuing back-to-back walks to Anthony Walters and Jaylen Palmer to open the inning. Omar de los Santos lined a single to left field, plating the game’s first run, and after Wandi Montout replaced Troutman, Jose Peroza greeted the new reliever with a two-run double for a 3-0 Mets lead, all with none out in the inning. Montout recovered to retire the next three batters, keeping the game within reach for Bradenton.
Escotto homered to lead off the eighth against McCall, trimming the visitors’ deficit to two runs, but the Marauders were unable to gain momentum. Dariel Lopez ran into an out on a St. Lucie fielding error two at-bats later, and Mets right-hander Reyson Santos went on to retire three straight Marauders hitters in the ninth, ending the game and handing Bradenton its sixth loss in eight games.
The series concludes Sunday with first pitch scheduled for 12:10 p.m. at Clover Park. RHP Jared Jones will start for the Marauders against RHP Jose Chacin for the Mets.
For more information about the Bradenton Marauders, please call (941) 747-3031, visit BradentonMarauders.com, or email [email protected].