Despite 19 Hits, Tampa Loses Heartbreaker, 10-9

TAMPA, Fla. -- The Tampa Tarpons (32-29) tallied a season-high 19 hits and twice led by five runs, but the Bradenton Marauders (31-25) scored the final six runs of the game to steal a 10-9 victory in the series-opener on Friday night a George M. Steinbrenner Field.
Tampa sent eight batters to the plate and collected five extra-base hits in a four-run second against Bradenton starter Evan Piechota.
Brandon Wagner hit a leadoff homer. Dom Thompson-Williams doubled and scored, one out later, on a triple by David Metzgar . Another out later, Ben Ruta belted a two-run homer to right. Hoy Jun Park followed with a double before Piechota ended the frame.
Isiah Gilliam opened the bottom of the third with a single and advanced to third on a base hit by Thompson-Williams before scoring on a sacrifice fly by Ryan Lidge .
Piechota gave up five earned runs on 10 hits in four innings, walking one while striking out five in his debut with the Marauders. The right-hander threw 64 of 95 pitches for strikes
Albert Abreu made the start for Tampa and carried a no-hitter into the fifth. Bradenton then loaded the bases with a walk and a pair of hit-batters. Mitchell Tolman broke up the no-hitter with an RBI single and Jung Ho Kang followed with a two-run double.
An error allowed a fourth run to score before Abreu got a pair of strikeouts to end the fifth. Abreu continued to retire seven-straight batters before leaving the game following a two-out single by Tolman in the seventh. RHP Matt Frawley entered and induced an inning-ending groundout by Kang.
Abreu turned in a quality start, yielding four runs (three earned) on three hits in a season-high six and two-third innings. The righty allowed two hit-batters and three walks while striking out five and threw 73 of season-high 105 pitches for strikes.
Alexander Palma jumped on the first pitch by LHP Jacob Brentz and hit a home run to right-center to begin the bottom of the seventh. One out later, Wagner singled and scored on a double by Thompson-Williams. Lidge followed with an RBI single. After a base hit by Metzgar, Brentz walked Eduardo Torrealba and Ruta to force in a run, giving the Tarpons a 9-4 lead.
Frawley walked the first two batters of the eighth and, after a mound visit, gave up a three-run home run to Arden Pabst, cutting the lead to 9-7. Bligh Madris followed with a double, but Frawley got a pair of strikeouts and a groundout to maintain the lead.
LHP Trevor Lane (BS, 2)(L, 1-2) entered for the save and struck out Tolman before walking Kang. Pinch-runner Adrian Valero took Kang's place and advanced to second on a groundout by Albert Baur. Down to their final out, Bradenton got back-to-back doubles by Alfredo Reyes and Pabst, tying the game at 9-9.
The inning continued when Madris reached on a hit-by-pitch. Lucas Tancas then grounded a ball toward second. Torrealba booted the ball into left field, allowing Pabst to score the go-ahead run.
After tossing a scoreless eighth, RHP Matt Eckelman returned to pitch the ninth for Bradenton. Lidge opened the frame with a single and was replaced by pinch runner Angel Aguilar . After a failed bunt attempt, Metzgar singled to right. A sacrifice bunt by Torrealba pushed the tying and winning runs into scoring position with one out.
Eckelman (W, 4-0) intentionally walked Ruta before striking out both Park and Palma to end the game.
Ruta (3-for-4, HR, 2BB, 3RBI, R, CS) clubbed his third homer and reached base five times on his 24th birthday. Wagner (3-for-5, HR, RBI, 2R, CS) hit his 11th home run and logged his third-straight multi-hit game. Thompson-Williams (3-for-5, 2 2B's, RBI, 2R, SB) had his second-straight three-hit game.
Palma (2-for-5, HR, BB, RBI, R) tallied his fifth homer. Metzgar (3-for-5, 3B, RBI, R) collected three hits in his Tarpons debut. Park (2-for-6, 2B) and Lidge (2-for-4, 2RBI, R, Sac-F) also had multi-hit games.
The series continues on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. with RHP Garrett Whitlock (1-0, 0.66) set to face RHP Luis Escobar (4-3, 3.62). Live play-by-play audio will be available on the Tarpons Radio Network. Fans are invited to stay after the game to watch a movie on the video board as part of Movie on the Diamond Night.
On "Salute to Service Members Saturday," all military receive a FREE upper reserved ticket with valid I.D. Also, select Tarpons players will be signing autographs on the concourse from 5:40-6:00 p.m.