A Wild Sunday: Marauders Hit Four Home Runs in Series Finale Win
July 28, 2024 - Florida State League (FSL)
Bradenton Marauders News Release
BRADENTON, FL - The Bradenton Marauders continue their strong record on Sunday's by downing the Lakeland Flying Tigers 7-5 at LECOM Park.
Both starters began the contest in a pitcher's duel. Lakeland starter Gabriel Reyes threw 21 consecutive strikes and retired the first six batters before walking Miguel Sosa in the second.
Garrett McMillan struck out six in a career-high four innings in his first professional start. It was the right-handers first start since the NCAA Tournament last June when he was pitching at the University of Alabama.
The Marauders finally broke through in the seventh against Duque Hebbert. Garret Forrester tallied a one-out double before scoring on a two-run home run from Omar Alfonzo. The next batter, Esmerlyn Valdez, then homered as well to extend the lead to 3-0. Forrester finished the day 2-for-3, extending his hitting streak to five games.
Lakeland overcame the deficit in the eighth, scoring all three runs with two outs. After a leadoff single and hit batter, Peyton Stumbo induced a double play. The next three men reached against him with John Peck and Andrew Jenkins providing run scoring hits to cut the deficit to 3-2. Stumbo departed and Landon Tomkins (1-0) entered. Brett Callahan, the first batter he faced, singled to left field to tie the game.
Bradenton roared back with four runs in the bottom of the eighth to retake the lead. Alfonzo scored the first run with a double before Valdez crushed his second home run of the game to make it 6-3 Bradenton. Luke Stofel (0-2) exited, and Connor Holden entered. Enmanuel Terrero capped off the frame with a solo-home run to extend the lead to 7-3.
The Flying Tigers didn't back down in the ninth. Jose De La Cruz and Dom Johnson singled to start the inning with De La Cruz scoring on a passed ball to cut the deficit to 7-4. With two outs, John Peck singled in another to cut the deficit to two. Pacheco singled to place the tying runs at base before Tomkins induced a game-ending groundout to hold on.
After an off day on Monday, Bradenton begins 12-game road trip to the east coast to face the Jupiter Hammerheads and St. Lucie Mets. First pitch on Tuesday is scheduled for 5:00 p.m., with pregame coverage beginning at 4:40 p.m. on the Marauders Broadcast Network.
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