Offense Stalls Again as Lakeland Claims Closing Series
September 19, 2021 - Florida State League (FSL)
Bradenton Marauders News Release
LAKELAND, Fla. - Marauders bats sputtered again Saturday night in Lakeland, as an early deficit and a late Lakeland rally dealt Bradenton an 8-2 loss at Publix Field.
The defeat gave the Marauders (71-47) just their third series loss of the season, and their second to Lakeland (54-63).
Marauders starter Logan Hofmann (6-4) faced early struggles, issuing back-to-back walks to J.D. McLaughlin and Nick Quintana. After a flyout, Chris Meyers launched a three-run homer to right field for an early 3-0 Flying Tigers lead.
Hofmann recovered to keep the ensuing damage to a minimum, bouncing back with a perfect second inning en route to working five innings. The right-hander allowed just one more run on a Ben Malgeri RBI-single in the third.
After the Meyers homer, Bradenton bounced back with one run in the top of the second, as Francisco Acuna hit a two-out single and scored on a triple to the left-field corner by Daniel Rivero. But Malgeri's RBI-single in the third stretched the Marauders' deficit back to three runs, 4-1.
Hofmann held the Flying Tigers scoreless over his final two innings, and reliever Christian Charle tossed scoreless frames in the sixth and seventh. But Lakeland pitching held Marauders bats spellbound, as Bradenton was unable to solve starter Nick Davila (6-8), who allowed just five scattered hits across five innings. Right-hander Carson King provided three innings of scoreless relief behind Davila.
The score remained 4-1 Lakeland entering the bottom of the eighth, where the Flying Tigers added onto their lead against Charle. After two singles opened the inning, Francisco Acuna fielded a grounder at shortstop by Kingston Liniak, but threw the ball wildly past second base, allowing Josh Crouch to score from second base. Esney Chacon followed with an RBI-single to right field, and after Carlos Irigoyen grounded into a double play, J.D. McLaughlin reached second base on a throwing error by catcher Abrahan Gutierrez, then scored on a single by Quintana to drive Lakeland's advantage to 8-1.
Bradenton mounted a late threat in the ninth against left-hander Gabe Sequeira, as Jack Herman led off with an infield single and later scored on a Rivero single, but the Marauders left runners stranded on the corners to end the game.
The Marauders wrap up the regular season on Sunday with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. at Publix Field. RHP Po-Yu Chen will start for the Marauders against RHP Carlos Guzman for the Flying Tigers.
For more information about the Bradenton Marauders, please call (941) 747-3031, visit BradentonMarauders.com.
Florida State League Stories from September 19, 2021
- Mighty Mussels Finish Season with 5-4 Comeback Win over Tarpons - Fort Myers Mighty Mussels
- Marauders Drop Finale in Lakeland, 7-2 - Bradenton Marauders
- Mets Beat Jupiter in Finale, Claim East Division Title - St. Lucie Mets
- Tortugas Outlast Cardinals in Wild Extra-Inning Affair to Close out Season - Daytona Tortugas
- Offense Stalls Again as Lakeland Claims Closing Series - Bradenton Marauders
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