Palm Beach Splits Saturday Doubleheader

The Palm Beach Cardinals split Saturday's doubleheader with the Bradenton Marauders at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.

The twin bill was induced by a rainout on Friday between the teams. Both games Saturday were seven innings.

Palm Beach took Game 1, a 4 p.m. first pitch, 7-2. A pair of two-RBI hits from Brady Whalen and Darlin Moquete gave the Beach Birds a 4-0 lead in the first. Osvaldo Tovalin logged RBIs in both the 5th and 6th inning, and Jeremy Rivas joined the party to give Palm Beach its five-run margin. Bradenton's only runs of Game 1 came in the top of the second.

Chris Gerard tossed three and 2/3 innings, before Edgar Manzo took the win with two and 1/3 frames. Andre Granillo's scoreless seventh inning sealed the win in the day cap.

Game 2 commenced at roughly 6:35 p.m. and was less friendly to the home team. The Cardinals' only run came in the third inning off a Tyler Reichenborn sacrifice fly, and the Marauders would cruise to a 13-1 win.

Roy Garcia had his first start of 2022 in Game 2 and struck out three batters in two and 1/3 frames. Hayes Heinecke, Ludwin Jimenez, Gustavo Rodriguez and Alex Cornwell made appearances out of the bullpen.

The Saturday split gives the Cardinals a 3-2 series lead over their foes from the Gulf Coast. Palm Beach can clinch an outright series win with a victory on Sunday, with first pitch coming at 12:00 p.m.

For the Game 1 box score, click here, and for the Game 2 box score, click here.