FSL1 Fort Myers Mighty Mussels

Marauders Pull Away in 9-5 Victory

Published on August 3, 2016 under Florida State League (FSL1)
Fort Myers Mighty Mussels News Release


BRADENTON, Fla. - The Bradenton Marauders knocked off the Fort Myers Miracle, 9-5, at McKechnie Field on Wednesday evening.

The Miracle opened the scoring in the top of the first inning against Marauders starter Stephen Tarpley. With two outs, Trey Vavra deposited a looping single into right center. Tarpley (5-3) then struck LaMonte Wade with a pitch. With two on, Joe Maloney smashed a ground ball up the middle. Vavra scored and put the Miracle up 1-0.

In the second, Fort Myers tacked on another run. T.J. White led off with a double into right center and Alex Perez bunted White to third. With one out, Brian Navarreto lined a single into center on a 2-1 pitch to push the Miracle edge to 2-0.

Miracle starter Randy LeBlanc had to endure a 27-minute delay in the bottom of the second. With one out and one one base, the rains arrived at McKechnie Field and the tarp was put on for a short time. When play resumed, the Marauders strung together a four hits in a row. Taylor Gushue singled through the right side to put men on the corners and then Michael Suchy stung a grounder past first baseman Chris Paul for an RBI single. Gushue moved to third to keep runners at first and third. Cole Tucker stepped up and lined a base hit to right to plate Gushue and tie the game. Tito Polo gave the Marauders a 3-2 lead with a double down the right field line four pitches later.

In the bottom of the third, Bradenton extended the advantage to three runs with a pair. Chase Simpson reached on a one-out single off LeBlanc (4-5) through the right side. Connor Joe followed with a liner to right. Gushue then advanced the runners to second and third. Suchy stepped in and delivered again. On a 1-1 pitch, Suchy hit a low rocket into center to score two runs, 5-2.

After Chris Paul pulled the Miracle to a two-run deficit in the sixth with a sacrifice fly, the Marauders plated four off reliever Todd Van Steensel in the bottom of the seventh. Van Steensel struck out the first batter, but allowed the next five reached with RBI hits from Justin Maffei, Tucker and Polo, 9-3.

In the top of the eighth, Fort Myers squeezed two more runs across. Paul picked up an RBI on a ground out and White drove in a run with a two-out single, 9-5.

Tarpley earned the win for the Marauders after giving up three runs on seven hits with one walk and six strikeouts. LeBlanc was the losing pitcher after three innings with five runs surrendered on nine hits.

The Miracle (54-54, 20-19) wrap up a quick two-game series with the Marauders (56-51, 18-21) on Thursday night at 6:30 p.m. Sam Clay (1-1) will start for Fort Myers against Buddy Borden (0-3) for Bradenton. Fans can listen to the broadcast on www.miraclebaseball.com with the "Voice of the Miracle" Brice Zimmerman.

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Florida State League Stories from August 3, 2016


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