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Palm Beach Erases Five-Run Deficit in 16-6 Win Over Bradenton Tuesday Night

By Brennan Erlandsen
June 23, 2026

JUPITER, FL – The Palm Beach Cardinals (3-1, 36-34) erased a five-run deficit after the top of the first inning to defeat the Bradenton Marauders (2-2, 33-36) by a final score of 16-6 in the series opener on Tuesday night at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Cooper Hjerpe made his third

JUPITER, FL – The Palm Beach Cardinals (3-1, 36-34) erased a five-run deficit after the top of the first inning to defeat the Bradenton Marauders (2-2, 33-36) by a final score of 16-6 in the series opener on Tuesday night at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.

Cooper Hjerpe made his third rehab start with Palm Beach and Bradenton gave him trouble in the top of the first inning. With two outs and two runners in scoring position, Brent Iredale hit a three-run home run to left field to put the Marauders on the scoreboard. After issuing a walk, Hjerpe was removed and Jesus Garcia came out of the Cardinals’ bullpen. On the first pitch from Garcia, Richard Ramirez hit a two-run home run to increase the Bradenton lead to 5-0.

Hjerpe finished his start with 2/3 of an inning pitched with four runs, three hits, one walk, and one strikeout.

However, Palm Beach responded immediately in the bottom of the first inning off Bradenton starting pitcher Levi Sterling (L, 4-4). With two outs and a runner at first base, Brayden Smith launched his fifth home run of the year, a two-run home run to right field at 405 feet, to cut the deficit to 5-2 after one inning.

The score remained until the bottom of the fourth inning. Smith led off the inning with a solo home run to left field, his second of the game and sixth of the season, to cut the deficit to two runs. After Matthew Miura drew a walk with nobody out, Ian Petrutz, with Palm Beach on a minor league rehab assignment from High-A Peoria, smashed a two-run home run over the right field foul pole to tie the game at 5-5. Yordalin Peña followed up with a triple and Alex Birge drove in Peña on an RBI double to left-center field which gave the Cardinals their first lead.

Ryan Weingartner began the bottom of the fifth inning with a long, solo home run to left field off new Bradenton pitcher Roilan Portuondo for his seventh home run of the season to make it 7-5 in favor of the Cardinals. The scoring was just getting started as the Cardinals drew two walks with one out. Peña drilled an RBI double down the third base line to score Miura from second base. Birge followed Peña with a two-RBI single to keep the rally alive. Bradenton replaced Portuondo with new pitcher, Noah Takacs. Birge greeted Takacs with a two-RBI single, and Sebastian Dos Santos drilled an RBI double down the right field line two batters later. Weingartner came back up to the plate and hit an RBI single, and Smith hit a sacrifice fly to cap the scoring. Overall, 12 batters came to the plate and eight runs scored for Palm Beach as the Cardinals took a 14-5 lead after five innings.

Meanwhile, Cade Crossland (W, 4-2), who made his first relief appearance of the season after Hjerpe opened the game, did not allow a run or a hit in his 4 1/3 innings. Crossland was pulled with one out in the top of the sixth inning as Liam Best came out of the bullpen. With runners at the corners and two outs, Luke Scherrer hit a bloop, RBI single to right field to make it a 14-6 game with Palm Beach in front.

The Cardinals added two more runs in the bottom of the seventh inning when Smith and Miura hit RBI singles. For Smith, it was his third hit and fifth RBI of the game and put Palm Beach ahead 16-6. After the seventh inning, both teams were quiet on offense as the Cardinals secured the 16-6 win on Tuesday night.

All nine Palm Beach hitters reached base and scored at least one run in the game and seven of the nine hitters had at least one hit. Smith finished 3-for-4 with two home runs and five RBIs which is the first time he accomplished both of those marks in a game. Birge and Peña each had two hits in the contest.

The Cardinals continue their six-game series against the Bradenton Marauders on Wednesday, June 24th with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Click here to purchase your Palm Beach Cardinals tickets.

For select Saturdays in 2026, the Palm Beach Cardinals take on the alternate identity of the “Palm Beach Frozen Iguanas!” You can join the cold front and purchase an “Ice Cold 12-Pack” ticket package to get a ticket for all Frozen Iguanas games, exclusive benefits, and access to special events as part of this season-long membership.

Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium is “America’s Busiest Ballpark” as the only home of two full season minor league affiliates. Enjoy the best entertainment membership packages in Palm Beach County with our staple programs like “Rockwell Hearing Center Silver Sluggers” every Wednesday for all fans 55 and up, “Thirsty Thursdays” every Thursday for all fans 21 and up, and “Code Ninjas Kids Club” every Saturday for all fans 15 and under.

New to 2026, fans can purchase tickets to the Jupiter Medical Center Champions Club down the left field line for an elevated baseball experience. Returning for 2026, every Tuesday game is a “2-for-1 Tuesday” where fans get two reserved box tickets for the price of one ($15) and every Sunday game is a “$10 Sunday” where all tickets are just 10 dollars. For more information on tickets, schedules, promotions, and more, call the ticket office at 561-630-1828 or visit the Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium website.

About Jupiter Stadium, LTD:

Opening in 1998, the 110-acre complex/stadium is specially designed to house two Major League and two Minor League Baseball Teams. The stadium is home to the Miami Marlins and the St. Louis Cardinals for Spring Training. The Florida State League’s Jupiter Hammerheads (Class A Affiliate of the Miami Marlins) and Palm Beach Cardinals (Class A Affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals) make their home at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium from April through September. Branded as “America’s Busiest Ballpark,” this year-round facility can accommodate everything from birthday parties to corporate outings to tournaments, while never forgetting that every fan is our most important priority.