Marauders Ride Pair of Blasts to 4-1 Win

TAMPA, FL - In the first matchup of the 2019 season between the Bradenton Marauders and the Tampa Tarpons, Bradenton used two home runs and an RBI single to ride their way to a 4-1 victory on the road at George M. Steinbrenner Field on Monday night.

   After OF Chris Sharpe recorded his first extra-base hit of the year to lead off the fourth inning with a double, OF Cal Mitchell got the scoring started for either side on his third home run of the year on a line drive missile over the fence to right field, his second road bomb thus far. Jesse Medrano reached to begin the sixth inning on a throwing error by Tarpons SS Diego Castillo, stole second base for his second swipe of the young season and came around on SS Adrian Valerio's third RBI of the year on a base hit to right field. With the score resting at 3-0 heading in to the final frame, 3B Dylan Busby added a security run for good measure on a moonshot off the batter's eye in center field, matching Mitchell with his third home run to wrap up the Marauders scoring with four runs on the night.

   In his third quality start through his first three outings in a Bradenton uniform, RHP Aaron Shortridge moved to 2-0 with six innings scoreless on a pair of hits and four strikeouts. With the bases loaded and a run across in the home half of the ninth, RHP Luis Escobar struck out the go-ahead run with two outs to strand the bases loaded and move the Marauders to 8-4 in 2019. 

   Bradenton travels back to Tampa on Tuesday for a 6:30 start with the Tarpons at Steinbrenner Field with the expected pitching matchup featuring LHP Oddy Nunez against RHP Clarke Schmidt for the home side. Catch all the action with Matt Neverett on the Bradenton Marauders Baseball Network by visiting BradentonMarauders.com, TuneIn Radio, MiLB.tv, or the MiLB First Pitch app!