Marauders Snap Skid Saturday Night

BRADENTON, Fla. — The Marauders ended a four-game losing streak Saturday night at LECOM Park with the help of crafty pitching and a late go-ahead hit by Brenden Dixon in a 3-2 win over the Tampa Tarpons.

With the score tied, 2-2, Luke Brown reached first base for the Marauders (14-12) on a throwing error by Tarpons (13-12) shortstop Roberto Chirinos. Brenden Dixon then drilled an 0-1 pitch from Danny Watson (1-2) into the left field corner, plating Brown for the go-ahead run.

After his clutch double as well as a sixth-inning single, Dixon is now batting .435 (10-for-23) with seven RBI over his last six games.

Carlos Lomeli pitched a flawless ninth inning for his third save, ending the Marauders’ four-game skid. Dante Mendoza (4-1) earned the win in relief.

Justin Meis turned in a strong start for the Marauders, striking out six across five scoreless innings and retiring each of his last eight batters faced, but did not figure into the final decision. The Tarpons’ greatest threat against Meis came in the third inning, when Tampa loaded the bases on two singles and a walk, but a strikeout and a fielder’s choice grounder lifted the Marauders out of the jam.

Prior to Dixon’s eighth-inning double, Bradenton had held two leads in the game. The club loaded the bases against Tarpons starter Chandler Champlain in the second inning and came away with just one run, which scored from third on a double-play grounder by Alexander Mojica. After Meis maintained the lead through five innings, Darvin Garcia pitched the sixth, allowing a game-tying solo homer to rehabbing Yankee, Ben Rortvedt.

The Marauders regained the lead, 2-1, in the bottom of the sixth. With Brown on third base and Dixon on second, Jase Bowen delivered a sacrifice fly to left fielder Grant Richardson, who threw to third as both runners attempted to tag up and advance. Brown crossed home plate a split-second before Dixon was tagged out at third base, narrowly giving Bradenton the lead.

That lead proved short-lived, as Garcia allowed a leadoff double to Raimfer Salinas in the seventh, and a wild pitch by Mendoza later in the inning allowed Salinas to score the tying run.

The series concludes Sunday with first pitch scheduled for 12 p.m. at LECOM Park. RHP Joelvis del Rosario (0-1, 5.52 ERA) will start for the Marauders, while the Tarpons have yet to announce their starting pitcher.

For more information about the Bradenton Marauders, please call (941) 747-3031, visit BradentonMarauders.com, or email [email protected].

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