Facundo, Offense Lift Tarpons to First Home Victory

TAMPA, FLA — The Tampa Tarpons (4-7) broke through at home in dominant fashion on Wednesday, cruising past the Bradenton Marauders (3-8) behind a patient offensive approach and strong start by Allen Facundo. Tampa’s lineup set the tone early and never let up, drawing a season-high 16 walks as every Tarpon reached base and scored safely in the victory.

Facundo came out of the gate red-hot, recording his first seven outs via strikeout. The right-hander finished with nine strikeouts over 4.1 innings, allowing just one run.

Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek put the Tarpons on the board immediately in the first, drawing a bases-loaded walk to score Brando Mayea.

The game was knotted at one apiece until the bottom of the fourth inning, when a “school” of Tarpons swarmed the plate to tally ten runs. Enmanuel Tejeda delivered with a bases-clearing triple, while Willy Montero, Hans Montero, and Jackson Lovich each added RBI-doubles.

Mayea added to the lead in the seventh, belting his first home run of the season deep into the right field cabanas and extending his hitting streak to five games.

Tampa tacked on one more in the bottom of the eighth on a free pass to Lovich with the bases juiced, increasing their lead to 12-1, which would hold as the final.

The Tarpons return to action tomorrow bright and early at 11:00 AM, as they welcome the Hillsborough County School District for “A Day at the Ballpark”.