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FSL Bradenton Marauders

A Pair of Homers Aid Winning Effort for Bradenton

May 4, 2023 - Florida State League (FSL)
Bradenton Marauders News Release


Tampa, Fla. - The Marauders (15-9) took to the diamond on Thursday night, taking on Tampa (9-15) in game three of a six-game set at Steinbrenner Field. The Marauders enjoyed strong run support through all nine innings and counted on clutch pitching in the later frame to steal a 7-6 win.

Bradenton counted on early runs to springboard the winning effort; the 'Ders collected one run in the second inning off an error committed by the Tarpons. The Marauders added another in the third off of an inside-the-park home run off the bat of Rodolfo Nolasco to make it 2-0 after one-and-a-half innings played.

The Tarpons would respond in the home third with three consecutive two-out extra-base hits to tie the game at 2-2. Alessandro Ercolani started the game on the hill for Bradenton and would toss a stout five innings surrendering just two earned runs on his way to claiming his first win as a Marauder.

The Marauders reclaimed the lead in the top of the fifth when Triple-A rehabber Jared Triolo dropped a liner into center to score Jesus Castillio and put the Baby Buccos up 3-2 halfway through the contest.

The boys in Black and Yellow hung a three spot in the seventh inning when Triolo scored on yet another error committed by Tampa; they finished with four in the final linescore. The Marauders got a crucial boost from Shalin Polanco, who blasted a two-run shot to right to extend the lead to 6-2. Polanco has two home runs and five RBI in the series, in addition to a .800 slugging percentage.

The Tarpons answered quickly with a pair of runs after the seventh inning stretch to draw closer in the ballgame with the score at 6-4 in favor of Bradenton with two innings to play.

The Marauders' seventh and eventually winning run came in the top of the ninth when Deivis Nadal tripled to left to bring Nolasco in to score and give Bradenton a 7-4 advantage entering the final half-inning of the game.

The Tarpons still had some fight in them and would not go silently; the hometown team put up a pair of runs with two down in the inning and proceeded to load the bases. With the tying run on third and the winning run on second, Bradenton turned to righty Mike Walsh to secure the crucial 27th out.

Walsh got ahead in the count early and worked it to 1-2 with high-velocity fastballs before dotting a back door slider to freeze the batter and K him looking to end the game. The Marauders jumped out of the dugout to celebrate a win that gave the Bradenton boys a colossal shot of life.

Bradenton takes on Tampa again on Friday night at 6:30. Pirates #12 prospect Thomas Harrington starts for the Marauders, who are 4-0 in Friday games this season.

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