Pitching Woes Sink Bradenton Friday Night

BRADENTON, Fla. — A second straight game of struggles on the mound saw the Marauders fall behind early Friday night, as the Lakeland Flying Tigers stole the fourth game of the series, 7-4, at LECOM Park.

Marauders (17-11, 46-47) starter Valentin Linarez struggled with control in a 24-pitch first inning, walking two batters ahead of Eduardo Valencia, who lined a two-run double to left field. Linarez would recover to retire 10 of the next 11 batters through the end of the fourth inning, but saw two more Lakeland runs cross in the fifth on an Izaac Pacheco sacrifice fly and a fielding error at first base by Juan Jerez, who missed first base with his foot when receiving a throw from Linarez on a soft dribbler by Manuel Sequera, plating a hustling Cristian Santana from second base.

Linarez would take the loss, lasting six innings but allowing four runs (three earned) on four hits and two walks.

Bradenton had briefly moved within one run, 2-1, in the fourth inning on a Bubba Chandler RBI-single, but two strikeouts by Lakeland (12-14, 44-48) right-hander Angel Reyes stranded the tying and go-ahead runs on second and first base, respectively. Reyes would earn the win, allowing just the one run while fanning five over three innings.

The top of the seventh inning saw the Flying Tigers extend their lead to 7-1. Rehabbing Pirates right-hander Nick Mears was erratic on the mound for the Marauders in the top half, allowing a one-out hit-by-pitch, a walk, and a Pacheco RBI-single. Carlos Lomeli took over, and after inducing a flyout for the inning’s second out, surrendered back-to-back RBI-singles to Justice Bigbie and Eduardo Valencia.

Valencia led Lakeland with three hits and three RBI in the game, and the Flying Tigers tallied ten total hits, their third double-digit hit total in four games this week.

The Marauders quickly replied with a three-run frame of their own in the bottom of the seventh. Jauri Custodio, making his Single-A debut, drew a two-out walk from Carlos Marcano and later scored from third on a wild pitch, and Jase Bowen turned on an inside pitch for a two-run homer to left field, bringing Bradenton within three runs, 7-4.

Bowen’s home run gave him his fourth consecutive two-RBI game. His 58 RBI on the season rank second in the Florida State League, trailing only Dunedin’s Rainer Nunez (59).

On the mound, Lomeli recovered to hold the Tigers scoreless in the eighth and ninth innings, stranding three runners in the process. But the Marauders squandered singles by Maikol Escotto and Chandler in a scoreless eighth at the plate, and Lakeland right-hander Jack Anderson dominated in a four-out save, allowing only a Bowen one-out walk in the ninth inning before finishing the game.

The series continues Saturday with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at LECOM Park. RHP Joelvis del Rosario will start for the Marauders, while Lakeland will counter with RHP Williander Moreno.

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

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