Marauders hold off Mets to win FSL South Series

BRADENTON, Fla. (September 7, 2016) - The Bradenton Marauders ended the St. Lucie Mets season with a 4-1 win in Game 2 of the FSL South Division Series on Wednesday at McKechnie Field.
 
The Marauders advanced to the FSL Finals for the first time in franchise history. The Mets 2016 season comes to a close.
 
The Marauders jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first three innings. Connor Joe hit a solo home run in the second off of P.J. Conlon. Later in the inning with two outs and a runner on third, Logan Rutledge popped up on the middle infield. Four Mets called for the ball but it fell to the turf between all four and Wyatt Mathisen scored to make it 2-0.
 
Joe and Michael Suchy hit back-to-back doubles in the third to make it 3-0.
 
Meanwhile, Bradenton starter J.T. Brubaker kept getting out of trouble. The Mets went 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position through the first five innings. Brubaker shut out the Mets for six innings.
 
Bradenton tacked on a run in the eighth when Mathisen pulled a RBI single into left field against Corey Taylor.
 
The Mets didn't go down without a fight in the ninth. Kevin Taylor, Tomas Nido and John Mora started the inning with singles to load the bases.
 
Sean Keselica struck out Luis Guillorme. Then Jhoan Urena grounded out to bring in a run and make it 4-1. Champ Stuart, added earlier in the day to replace a banged up Kevin Kaczmarski, came to the plate as the tying run but struck out to end the game.
 
Jonathan Johnson and Taylor had two hits apiece. David Thompson clubbed his third double of the series. Ben Griset pitched three scoreless innings of relief.
 
The Mets went 1 for 13 with runners in scoring position in Game 2.
 
The Mets fell to 0-10 this season at McKechnie Field. Bradenton went 13-6 against the Mets this season and outscored St. Lucie 15-7 in the two playoff games.