Marauders Close in on Title with 6-1 Win Wednesday
BRADENTON, Fla. — Early rallies and an outstanding start from Luis Ortiz lifted the Marauders to a 6-1 win over the Tampa Tarpons in Game 2 of the Low-A Southeast League Championship Series at LECOM Park on Wednesday night. The Marauders (2-0) are now just one win away from their
BRADENTON, Fla. — Early rallies and an outstanding start from Luis Ortiz lifted the Marauders to a 6-1 win over the Tampa Tarpons in Game 2 of the Low-A Southeast League Championship Series at LECOM Park on Wednesday night.
The Marauders (2-0) are now just one win away from their second league title in franchise history.
Ortiz (1-0) tossed six strong innings, striking out nine and holding the Tarpons (0-2) to just four hits. The right-hander retired 13 of the final 15 batters he faced.
Nick Garcia fanned five batters over two innings of scoreless relief for Bradenton, and Oliver Mateo struck out two batters in a scoreless ninth to seal the victory.
Jackson Glenn led off the bottom of the first inning with a double, advanced to third base on a passed ball, and scored the game’s first run on a Dariel Lopez sacrifice fly to right field.
Tampa answered in the top of the second, as Benjamin Cowles tied the score with a solo homer to right-center. But Bradenton pushed back in the home half, lining four straight hits to open the inning against Blane Abeyta (0-1). Hudson Head led off with a single to left field, and Jack Herman and Ernny Ordonez followed with back-to-back RBI-doubles, putting the Marauders back in front, 3-1. Maikol Escotto then plated Ordonez with an RBI-single to left for a three-run Marauders advantage.
Abrahan Gutierrez added a solo home run to lead off the third inning—his first as a Marauder—and Head walked and later scored on an Escotto groundout.
Abeyta was pulled after just 2.1 innings, striking out five but surrendering six runs (four earned) on six hits.
Tampa relievers Wellington Diaz, Harold Cortijo, Danny Watson, and Carson Coleman held the Marauders scoreless over their final five innings at the plate.
Kyle Battle and Cooper Bowman recorded two hits each to lead the Tarpons, who went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position.
Game 3 of the championship series is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Friday at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa. RHP Logan Hofmann will start for the Marauders against RHP Nicio Rodriguez for the Tarpons.
For more information about the Bradenton Marauders, please call (941) 747-3031, visit BradentonMarauders.com, or email [email protected].
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