Jones Reaches 101 MPH, Tosses 3.0 Perfect Frames in Marauders 5-1 Win
Caro homers and triples, Florentino and De Los Santos each launch home runs
Jared Jones reached 101 mph during his major league rehab start, while tossing 3.0 perfect frames in a 5-1 win for the Bradenton Marauders (10-13) over the Lakeland Flying Tigers (14-9) on Wednesday from LECOM Park. Carlos Caro, Edward Florentino, and Yordany De Los Santos all recorded homers to lift Bradenton to its first home win of the year.
The Marauders began the scoring in the bottom of the third off Flying Tigers starter Cash Kuiper. Caro rocketed a homer to left, making it a 1-0 ballgame. Dylan Palmer doubled and moved to third on a fielding error to put a runner in scoring position. Florentino drove in Palmer on a sacrifice fly, increasing the lead 2-0.
In the bottom of the fourth, De Los Santos socked a solo blast to center off Lakeland reliever Eliseo Mata, putting Bradenton up 3-0.
After the Flying Tigers scratched across a run in the top of the sixth, the Marauders answered back in the bottom of the seventh off Lakeland reliever Jan Caraballo. Palmer walked and Florentino smashed a two-run homer to right, making it a 5-1 ballgame.
Bradenton reliever Draven Zeigler closed it down in the ninth to finalize a 5-1 victory for the Marauders.
Alessandro Ercolani (1-0) earned the win, allowing a run on two hits, two walks, and three strikeouts over 2.1 frames. Kuiper (0-2) took the loss, letting up two runs (one earned) on three hits, two strikeouts, and a homer over 3.0 innings.
The Marauders and Flying Tigers play game three of a six-game set on Thursday from LECOM Park with first pitch set for 6:30 p.m. RHP Zander Mueth (0-0, 6.39) takes the ball for Bradenton, and RHP Malachi Witherspoon (0-0, 4.63) is on the bump for the Lakeland
For more information about the Bradenton Marauders, please call 941-747-3031, visit www.BradentonMarauders.com, or email MaraudersInfo@pirates.com.