Marauders Ninth Inning Comeback Falls Short in Loss to Tarpons
Gray extends hitting streak to seven games, Rynders and Pimentel each collect multi-hit games
Josh Tate drove in a run for the Bradenton Marauders (5-9) in the top of the ninth, but the comeback fell short in a 6-5 loss to the Tampa Tarpons (5-9) on Saturday from George M. Steinbrenner Field. Murf Gray extended his hitting streak to seven games, while Eddie Rynders and Antonio Pimentel both earned multi-hit performances
In the bottom of the first, Tampa plated two runs off Bradenton starter Reinold Navarro highlighted with a solo homer by Jackson Lovich.
The Marauders plated their first run of the game in the top of the second against Tarpons starter Danny Flatt. Eddie King Jr. reached on a catcher’s interference and Luke Scherrer walked to put runners on second and first. A single by Rynders allowed King Jr. to score and make it a 2-1 ballgame.
After Tampa scored a run off Navarro in the bottom of the second, Bradenton answered back in the top of the third. Edward Florentino doubled, Gray singled, and King Jr. was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Edgleen Perez singled to right, scoring Florentino and Gray to tie the game 3-3. With King Jr. at third, Scherrer drove him in with a sacrifice fly to make it a 4-3 ballgame.
The Tarpons took the lead with a run in the bottom of the fourth off Marauders reliever Greiber Mendez and a run in the bottom of the fifth off reliever Noah Murdock.
In the top of the ninth, Rynders led off with a double against Tampa reliever Parker Seay. Rynders scored on a single by Tate, but the Marauders were shut down the rest of the way to lose by a final score of 6-5.
Flatt (1-1) notched the win, letting up four runs (three earned) on five hits, two walks, and two strikeouts. Murdock (0-1) picks up the loss, allowing a run on two hits with a strikeout. Seay (1) collected the save, letting up a run on three hits.
The Marauders and Tarpons play the series finale of their six-game set on Sunday with first pitch at 12:00 p.m. EST. RHP Levi Sterling (0-1, 8.53) is on the mound for Bradenton, while RHP J.T. Etheridge (0-0, 0.00) takes the ball for Tampa.
For more information about the Bradenton Marauders, please call 941-747-3031, visit www.BradentonMarauders.com, or email MaraudersInfo@pirates.com.