Marauders Fall in Continuation, Shut Out Daytona in Nightcap

BRADENTON, Fla. — The Marauders fell to the Daytona Tortugas, 8-2, in their continuation of Tuesday’s suspended game before a Santiago Florez shutout highlighted a 3-0 win in the nightcap on Wednesday night at LECOM Park.

With the score tied, 2-2, the Marauders (20-12) resumed Tuesday’s suspended action in the fifth inning. Neither team scored in the fifth, but Daytona (14-18) plated two runs in the sixth off Brayan Roman (3-2), getting an RBI-single from Gus Steiger, who later entered a rundown that allowed Ranser Amador to score from third for a 4-2 Tortugas lead.

Daytona added two more runs each in the seventh and ninth innings, padding their lead to 8-2 and recording 15 hits, one shy of the season-high in hits allowed in a game by Marauders pitching.

Stevie Branche (3-0) earned the win in relief for the Tortugas, providing two and two-thirds scoreless innings while striking out six. Vin Timpanelli pitched the remaining two and one-third innings, also holding Bradenton scoreless.

The Marauders went just 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position, leaving the bases loaded in both the sixth and seventh innings, while the Tortugas went 6-for-15 with runners in scoring position.

But in the second game, Santiago Florez (2-1) tossed a career-high seven innings for the Marauders, holding the Tortugas to just five hits, all singles. The right-hander struck out eight and walked none, throwing 62 of his 88 pitches for strikes. Over his last four starts, Florez owns a 0.42 ERA with five walks and 32 strikeouts, allowing just one run on nine hits over 21.2 innings. He has not allowed a run in his past 18 innings of work, last allowing a run on May 19 against Lakeland via an RBI-single.

The Marauders provided sufficient run support for Florez in the early innings, getting a solo homer from Endy Rodriguez in the first off Evan Kravetz (0-1), and RBI-singles from Alexander Mojica and Sammy Siani in the second and third innings, respectively.

Hudson Head reached base safely in both games of the faux-twinbill for the Marauders, extending his on-base streak to a team-high 20 games.

The series continues Thursday with first pitch scheduled for 6:05 p.m. at LECOM Park. RHP Eddy Yean (1-1, 8.62 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Marauders against RHP James Proctor (2-0, 0.76 ERA) for Daytona