TAMPA, Fla. - In the first game of a three game series on the road in Tampa, The Bradenton Marauders walked out of George M. Steinbrenner Field winners on Friday night. The victory concluded a crazy contest that included the first appearances from Evan Piechota and Jake Brentz on the
TAMPA, Fla. - In the first game of a three game series on the road in Tampa, The Bradenton Marauders walked out of George M. Steinbrenner Field winners on Friday night. The victory concluded a crazy contest that included the first appearances from Evan Piechota and Jake Brentz on the season, three different Tarpons hitters with three or more hits and one team outhitting the other by a double digit tally in a loss. Bradenton plated 10 runs on only seven hits while the home side put up 19 hits, a season high, but "only" nine runs with a trio of errors in the field eventually being their undoing.
After four Tampa runs came around to score on a pair of home runs in the second inning, with another run tacked on in the third, the Marauders began their comeback in the top of the fifth inning. With the bases loaded and an out, Mitchell Tolman drove in his first run of the season with a single and Jung Ho Kang brought home two more on a double down the left field line. After the Tarpons extended their lead to 9-4 after four more runs in the seventh, the Marauders responded again on a three run home run from catcher Arden Pabst to bring the game within two runs. After Jung Ho Kang walked with one out in the top of the final inning, his run came around on an Alfredo Reyes RBI double, who was followed by Arden Pabst coming up clutch once again with a run scoring double of his own to put Bradenton up for good. Pitching in his second inning of work in the ninth, Florida State League All-Star selection Matt Eckelman earned his fourth win on the season by striking out the final two batters of the game with the bases loaded to seal the game for the Marauders.
The Marauders continue their three game series with the Tarpons on Saturday night with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 pm between RHP Luis Escobar and RHP Garrett Whitlock tossing for Bradenton and Tampa respectively. 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!
