Marauders Lose Ninth-Inning Lead in 4-3 Defeat to Hammerheads

Marauders Lose Ninth-Inning Lead in 4-3 Defeat to Hammerheads

Bradenton, Fla. – After overcoming a one-run deficit in the eighth, the Bradenton Marauders couldn't hold on, falling to the Jupiter Hammerheads 4-3 on Tuesday night at LECOM Park.

The loss marks their second consecutive defeat after entering the ninth inning with the lead.

Jupiter opened scoring early after a one-out single to Abrahan Ramirez. The next hitter was Dillon Head who roped an RBI triple to right that made it 1-0. Andres Valor stepped up next, and sent a sacrifice fly to center that scored Head and doubled the Hammerheads lead to 2-0.

After both sides traded scoreless frames through the top of the fifth, Jhonny Severino belted a solo shot to left in the bottom of the frame that cut Bradenton’s deficit to 2-1.

Jupiter starter Julio Mendez was tremendous, tossing six innings of one-run ball while fanning eight hitters.

After getting to the bullpen, Bradenton rallied in the bottom of the eighth when Wyatt Sanford was hit by a pitch and Braylon Bishop walked. With runners at the corners, Yordany De Los Santos lofted a double to shallow center that scored Sanford to knot the game at 2-2.

The next hitter was Axiel Plaz, who lifted a sacrifice fly to right that brought home Bishop and gave the Marauders a 3-2 advantage. Plaz’s 37 runs batted in on the season lead the club.

After the Marauders recorded two quick outs in the top of the ninth, Jupiter loaded the bases on a hit batter, single and walk. Down to their final out, Andres Valor rolled a soft grounder up the middle. After Sanford backhanded the ball, Valor beat the throw to force in the tying run. On the same throw the first, the ball bounced into foul ground allowing the go-ahead run to score and push the Hammerheads infront 4-3.

Despite loading the bases with no outs in the bottom of the ninth, Bradenton came up empty, securing the win for Jupiter.

With the loss, Bradenton fell to 27-31 while Jupiter moved to 26-32. The two return LECOM Park on Wednesday for morning baseball with first pitch is slated for 11:00 a.m. Pre-game coverages begins at 10:45 a.m. on MiLB.TV and the Marauders Broadcast Network.