Twice is Nice: Marauders Walk-Off Tortugas for Second Time this Week
BRADENTON, FL — With a win probability at less than one percent in the ninth inning, the Bradenton Marauders found a way to force extra-innings and ultimately win 8-7 in 11-innings against the Daytona Tortugas on Sunday afternoon at LECOM Park. The Marauders never led in the contest until the
BRADENTON, FL — With a win probability at less than one percent in the ninth inning, the Bradenton Marauders found a way to force extra-innings and ultimately win 8-7 in 11-innings against the Daytona Tortugas on Sunday afternoon at LECOM Park. The Marauders never led in the contest until the final scoreline.
In the ninth, Gabe Starks (0-2) retired the first two batters in order before Jeral Toledo worked a walk to bring the tying run at the plate in Omar Alfonzo. The Pirates’ No. 28 prospect laced a double to right-center field to score Toledo and bring the Marauders closer at 5-4. Javier Rivas then doubled a ball down the left field line to score Alfonzo and tie the game at five. Starts punched out Esmerlyn Valdez to force extra-innings.
Ricardo Cabrera entered the game in the 10th inning as a pinch-hitter and singled home the extra runner to retake the lead at 6-5. Alfredo Duno later hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Cabrera and extend the Tortugas advantage to 7-5. Magdiel Cotto (2-1) struck out Esmith Pineda to strand the bases loaded in the inning to keep the deficit at two.
In the 11th, with Valdez at second base as the extra-runner, Starks issued a walk to Shalin Polanco to begin the frame which brought Garret Forrester to the plate. The 2023 third-round pick doubled off the wall in centerfield to score Valdez but Polanco was thrown out home to keep the Marauders behind at 7-6. Two-batters later, Juan Jerez doubled home Forrester before Jesus Castillo’s walk-off base hit to left field won the ballgame at 8-7.
With the hit, Castillo extended his on-base streak to 15 games, the longest active streak in Single-A.
Daytona jumped ahead early in the first on a Johnny Ascanio solo home run against Khristian Curtis. Bradenton tied the game in the third on a Rivas RBI double before a pair of two-run home runs by Ariel Almonte in the fourth and Duno in the sixth surged the Tortugas forward to 5-1.
Rivas crushed a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth to begin the comeback attempt. He was later hit by a pitch to lead off the eighth, later scoring on a wild pitch. On the afternoon, Rivas finished 3-for-4 with two doubles, a home run, and three RBIs.
After an off day on Monday, the Marauders travel to Clearwater, FL to begin a six-game road trip against the Clearwater Threshers. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., with pregame coverage beginning at 6:10 p.m. on the Marauders Broadcast Network. Bradenton will send RHP Carlos Jimenez to the mound, while the Threshers have yet to name a starter.