Lind Leads Tampa to 3rd-Straight Win

BRADENTON, Fla. -- Adam Lind knocked three hits in his Tampa debut, including a go-ahead RBI single in the ninth, as the Tarpons (10-9) clinched the series in Bradenton with a 4-3 win over the Marauders (11-8) on Tuesday night at LECOM Park.
The former big leaguer signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees on April 18th and was added to Tampa's roster prior to the game. Lind (3-for-3, 2B, BB, RBI, R) elected free agency after playing with the Washington Nationals in 2017 and is now looking to get back to the majors with New York.
After the Tarpons went down in order in the first, Lind lined a leadoff single in the second. Two outs later, Alexander Palma jumped on the first pitch he saw from LHP Oddy Nunez and hit it over the right field wall for a two-run homerun.
Tampa starter Trevor Stephan also tossed a perfect first before yielding a run in the second. Hunter Owen reached on a hit-by-pitch and, two outs later, advanced to third on a hit by Alfredo Reyes before scoring on a single by Jason Delay.
Reyes later tied the score by blasting a home run off the left field foul pole in the fourth.
Stephan pitched into the sixth and left after issuing a two-out walk to Reyes. The right-hander allowed two earned runs on four hits in five and two-third innings, walking one while striking out six. Stephan hit three batters and threw 55 of 89 pitches for strikes in a no-decision.
Nunez made a quality start for the Marauders, holding Tampa to two earned runs on four hits in six innings. The southpaw tallied six strikeouts without permitting a walk and threw 49 of 72 pitches for strikes.
The 2-2 tie was broken up in the ninth when the Tarpons rallied against RHP Jess Amedee (L, 0-1). Estevan Florial drew a walk and advanced to third on a base hit by Isiah Gilliam . Lind followed with a line drive into right for an RBI single. Brandon Wagner then hit a sharp grounder to second. Reyes made a wild throw in an attempt to force out Lind and the error allowed Gilliam to score.
RHP David Sosebee entered for the save and allowed a walk by Delay and a single by Casey Hughston to start the inning. After a sacrifice bunt advanced the runners, Adrian Valerio scored Delay with a groundout to third. Sosebee (SV, 4) held on to get the save by getting Bligh Madris to hit into a game-ending groundout to second.
LHP Trevor Lane tallied three strikeouts while yielding two hits in a pair of scoreless innings. Christian Morris (W, 1-1) got the win after getting the final out in the eighth.
The series wraps up on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. with a pitching matchup featuring RHP Freicer Perez (0-2, 7.43) and RHP Luis Escobar (0-0, 1.65). Live play-by-play audio of the entire series will be available on the Tarpons Radio Network.