Pair of Home Runs Sink Marauders Friday in Fort Myers

FORT MYERS, Fla. — After pushing past a two-run deficit Friday night, the Marauders had a one-run lead slip away in an 8-3 loss to the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels at Hammond Stadium.

The loss ensures that the Marauders (27-34) will go a seventh straight series without a series win.

Marauders starter Po-Yu Chen (1-5) surrendered a pair of runs in the second inning on a Mikey Perez RBI-double and an RBI-single by Luis Baez.

Bradenton, however, jumped in front in the third against Mighty Mussels (38-22) right-hander Pierson Ohl (3-3). After a walk, a line-drive single, and a bunt single loaded the bases with none out, Deivis Nadal plated the Marauders’ first run with a groundout to Perez at second base. Jase Bowen promptly followed with a two-run single to left-center, scoring Jasiah Dixon and Mike Jarvis for a 3-2 Marauders lead.

After Chen recovered to hold Fort Myers scoreless in the third and fourth innings, however, the right-hander entered a jam in the fifth. Jake Rucker led off with a single and Noah Miller walked, and after a Noah Cardenas strikeout, Rubel Cespedes put the Mussels back in the lead, 5-3, with a towering three-run homer just inside the right-field pole.

Carlos Lomeli pitched in relief of Chen and, after retiring seven of his first eight hitters faced, the right-hander faced trouble. With one out in the eighth, singles by Perez and Kala’i Rosario set the stage for Carlos Aguiar, who launched a three-run homer to left-center, stretching the Mighty Mussels’ cushion to 8-3.

Marauders bats, meanwhile, were unable to generate momentum after the third inning. Fort Myers’ pitching staff retired 17 of the last 18 Marauders batters in the game, including a 15-batter streak broken up by a Bowen single in the ninth. Right-hander Malik Barrington retired all nine batters he faced in three innings of relief, and Juan Mendez pitched around Bowen’s single in a scoreless ninth to end the game.

Seven of nine Mighty Mussels batters collected a hit, and all reached base safely at least once.

The series continues Saturday with first pitch scheduled for 7 p.m. at Hammond Stadium. RHP Aaron Shortridge (0-0, 0.00 ERA) will start for the Marauders against Mussels RHP Marco Raya (3-1, 3.31 ERA).

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

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