Miscues Mangle Fire Frogs in Independence Day Defeat to Marauders, 5-2
July 4, 2019 - Florida State League (FSL1)
Florida Fire Frogs News Release
BRADENTON, FLA.: The Fire Frogs received a solid performance on the hill from RHP Brooks Wilson and brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth, but three errors in the field proved very costly as Florida fell, 5-2, to the Bradenton Marauders in the series lid-lifter on Independence Day morning at LECOM Park.
Wilson (1-1) showed endurance and resilience on the hill, hanging tough despite having three unearned runs come in against him. He yielded four tallies, four hits, a walk, and piled up a career-high nine strikeouts, besting his former mark by four, across six innings.
The Marauders had their first offensive tally just two batters into the bottom of the first. Travis Swaggerty got aboard on a throwing error from Florida second baseman Brett Langhorne. Rodolfo Castro singled and was thrown out trying to achieve second, but this allowed Swaggerty to come across for a 1-0 Bradenton lead. Wilson minimized the damage from there after a single from Oneil Cruz and a walk to Cal Mitchell.
An error on Jordan Rodgers in the fifth gave Lucas Tancas the opportunity to reach to start a Marauders surge. After Raul Hernandez swatted a base hit, a Raul Siri bunt turned into a two- run play when Wilson attempted to throw out the lead runner going to third, sailing it into left field and forcing in Tancas and Hernandez. An RBI knock from Swaggerty plated Siri later in the frame to round out the frame; 4-0 Bradenton.
Hernandez went 2-3 with a double and scored twice for the Marauders. Cruz had two hits and a stolen base.
The Fire Frogs offense started slow, not able to capitalize with two men on and no out in the fourth. However, they did scratch across their first run in the seventh. Trey Harris singled and Drew Lugbauer reached on a Castro miscue to put the first two on. Kevin Josephina drew a walk to load the sacks and set up Zack Soria, who recorded a sacrifice fly to bring in Harris and trim the Marauders lead to 4-1.
Josephina went 1-3 with a walk at the dish and has now reached base in 17 of his last 19 assignments.
RHP Nicholas Economos (3-3) tossed seven innings of three-hit baseball, surrendering an unearned run and mixing in six punchouts.
Siri singled in Hernandez against new Fire Frogs pitcher RHP Brandon White in the seventh to make it a four-run game again, 5-1.
White scattered three hits and an earned run with three Ks across six outs.
The Fire Frogs put the pressure on RHP Nick Mears in the ninth. Lugbauer belted his second big fly in as many days, his ninth of the season, to cut the deficit to 5-2. Jefrey Ramos coaxed a walk and Josephina singled with one out to bring the tying run to the dish. Mears was able to settle down and retire Soria and Langhorne to end the game.
Mears permitted two hits and a run while fanning three over the final two stanzas.
NEXT UP: The Fire Frogs get a little extra rest before Friday evening's 6:30 p.m. start in the second game of the set versus the Marauders. The Fire Frogs' LHP Philip Pfeifer (1-6, 4.35) and the Marauders' RHP Brad Case (1-1, 3.38) is the probable pitching matchup.
Florida State League Stories from July 4, 2019
- Evanko Stays Strong in Series-Opening Win over Tarpons - Clearwater Threshers
- Evanko Stays Strong in Series-Opening Win over Tarpons - Clearwater Threshers
- Garcia, Sensley Homer as Tarpons Fall Short on the Fourth - Tampa Tarpons
- Three-Run Third Tortures 'Tugas in Loss, 4-1 - Daytona Tortugas
- Cavallaro Helps Pitch Mets to 4-1 Win against Daytona - St. Lucie Mets
- Miracle and Cardinals Postponed, Doubleheader Set for Friday - Fort Myers Mighty Mussels
- Miscues Mangle Fire Frogs in Independence Day Defeat to Marauders, 5-2 - Florida Fire Frogs
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
