Marauders Hold off Tortugas, Win 6-5

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — After losing an early two-run lead, the Marauders surged ahead late and staved off late trouble in a 6-5 win over the Daytona Tortugas on Tuesday night at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

With the score tied, 2-2, entering the eighth inning, Hudson Head drew a one-out walk from Daytona reliever Sam Hellinger (0-1) to put the go-ahead run aboard for the Marauders (39-21). Endy Rodriguez then Rodriguez hit a grounder to first baseman Michel Triana, who threw late to second base in an ill-advised attempt to erase Head. Jake Gozzo entered to pitch, and after Dariel Lopez loaded the bases on an infield single, Sammy Siani lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to plate Head and give Bradenton a 3-2 lead.

Jack Herman, making his Marauders debut, immediately followed with a three-run homer to left field—his first hit as a Marauder—to stretch Bradenton’s lead to 6-2.

The Tortugas (28-33), though, fought back in the bottom half. Ranser Amador led off with an infield single and took second base on the play on an errant throw by Marauders shortstop Maikol Escotto, then took third and scored on a pair of ensuing wild pitches by right-hander Ryan Troutman (2-0). Two walks and a single then loaded the bases for Michel Triana, who laced a two-run single to right field off new pitcher Enmanuel Mejia, bringing Daytona within one run, 6-5. Mejia, however, recovered to induce an inning-ending double-play grounder, preserving the lead.

Mejia went on to pitch a scoreless ninth for his seventh save, working around a one-out walk to Garrett Wolforth.

The Marauders had built a 2-0 lead in the first inning on a two-run single by Siani, a lead that lasted until the fourth, when Bradenton starter Luis Ortiz allowed a run-scoring wild pitch and an RBI-single to Triana, tying the score, 2-2. The game would remain tied until the Marauders’ eighth-inning rally.

Ortiz, who had retired nine batters in a row to begin his start, rebounded to pitch through the sixth inning, holding Daytona scoreless over his final two innings and turning in his second straight quality start.

Dariel Lopez recorded a season-high three hits for the Marauders, and a first-inning walk by Endy Rodriguez extended his on-base streak to 12 games, matching his season-high.

The series continues Wednesday with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. RHP Nick Garcia will start for the Marauders against a to-be-announced starter 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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