Marauders Drop Tight Battle in Daytona
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The Marauders pushed back late against a two-run deficit on Saturday night, but came up just short in a 2-1 loss to the Daytona Tortugas at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. Trailing 2-0, the Marauders (41-23) loaded the bases with none out in the ninth inning on singles
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The Marauders pushed back late against a two-run deficit on Saturday night, but came up just short in a 2-1 loss to the Daytona Tortugas at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.
Trailing 2-0, the Marauders (41-23) loaded the bases with none out in the ninth inning on singles by Jack Herman and Ernny Ordonez and a walk by Eli Wilson. After Daytona right-hander Manuel Cachutt struck out pinch-hitter Hudson Head, Daniel Rivero beat out the back end of a would-be game-ending double-play grounder to shortstop, allowing Herman to score the first Bradenton run of the evening. But Yoyner Fajardo grounded out to first base to end the game, stranding the tying and go-ahead runners on the corners, and handing the Marauders their second straight one-run loss.
Starter Case Williams (2-5) earned the win for the Tortugas (30-35), holding Bradenton to three hits, all singles, over five scoreless innings. Jose Franco provided three innings of scoreless relief, bridging the gap to Cachutt as the closer.
The Tortugas failed to capitalize on one-out hits off Bradenton starter Adrian Florencio in both the first and second innings, but in the bottom of the third, the home team struck first, as Ranser Amador led off with a double and scored on an Ivan Johnson single. Leo Seminati added a sacrifice fly in the third, extending the Tortugas’ lead to 2-0.
Florencio departed with one out in the sixth inning, giving way to Oliver Mateo, who went on to strike out a career-high six batters over a season-best two and two-thirds innings of scoreless relief, walking none and allowing no hits to keep the game within reach for the Marauders.
Wilson provided a pair of defensive highlights by throwing out base stealers at second base in the second and sixth innings, both of which came as inning-ending strikeout-throwout double plays.
Each of the Marauders’ six hits in the game were singles. Ordonez led the way with two hits, while Wilson and Endy Rodriguez both extended their on-base streaks to 15 games with a walk and a single, respectively.
The series concludes Sunday with first pitch scheduled for 5:35 p.m. at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. RHP Jared Jones will start for the Marauders against RHP Nick Hanson for the Tortugas.
For more information about the Bradenton Marauders, please call (941) 747-3031, visit BradentonMarauders.com, or email [email protected].