Martinez Throws Four Scoreless, Marauders Fall 8-7 on Opening Night
Suero notches three-hit game, Palmer walks three times with a steal
Jeter Martinez tossed four scoreless innings of work in his first start of the year, but the Bradenton Marauders (2-2) fell 8-7 to the Palm Beach Cardinals (2-2) on Tuesday night from LECOM Park. Estuar Suero picked up the first three-hit game of the season for Bradenton, while Dylan Palmer walked three times and stole a base.
The Marauders scratched across the first run of the game in the bottom of the third against Cardinals starter Pete Hansen. Brent Iredale and Antonio Pimentel worked walks to put runners on second and first. After a wild pitch allowed both runners to move up a base, Josh Tate scored Iredale from third on a sacrifice fly to make it 1-0.
Bradenton broke the game open in the bottom of the first off Cardinals reliever Jacob Odle. Eddie Rynders singled and Pimentel walked to put runners on second and first. Palmer laid down a sacrifice bunt, but a throwing error by Odle allowed Rynders to score and increase the lead, 2-0. With Pimentel at third and Palmer at second, Edgleen Perez reached on a fielding error, plating Pimentel to make it 3-0. Palmer reached home on a balk from Odle to move the score, 4-0. Murf Gray singled and Eddie King Jr. walked to load the bases for Suero. A two-RBI single to center by Suero scored two runs and lifted Bradenton to a 6-0 lead.
The Cardinals answered back with three runs in top of the sixth against Marauders reliever Roilan Portuondo, but Bradenton notched another run in the bottom half of the inning. With the bases loaded against Palm Beach reliever Kaden Echeman, Perez worked a walk to push across another run for the Marauders.
Palm Beach plated a run in the eighth and four in the ninth to take an 8-7 lead. The Marauders went scoreless in the bottom of the ninth, losing by a score of 8-7.
Liam Best (1-0) earned the win, letting up two hits, a walk, and striking out two over 2.0 scoreless innings. David Matoma (0-1) took the loss, allowing a run on a hit and four walks.
The Marauders and Cardinals play game two of a six-game series on Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. EST from LECOM Park. RHP Clevari Tejada (0-0, 0.00) takes the ball for Bradenton, while RHP Ty Van Dyke (0-0, 0.00) is on the mound for Palm Beach.
For more information about the Bradenton Marauders, please call 941-747-3031, visit www.BradentonMarauders.com, or email MaraudersInfo@pirates.com.