Second-Inning Rally Sinks Marauders in Fifth Straight Loss
Published on May 28, 2022 under Florida State League (FSL)
Bradenton Marauders News Release
BRADENTON, Fla. - A five-run Fort Myers rally in the second inning set the Marauders back early in a 9-2 loss to the Mighty Mussels on Saturday night at LECOM Park.
The Marauders (19-25) have now lost five straight games, matching their longest losing streak of the season from May 10-14 at Jupiter, and look to avoid their first sweep in Sunday's series finale. Fort Myers (30-13) won its sixth straight game and has outscored Bradenton 43-11 in the series.
Jase Bowen produced Bradenton's only runs by hitting his team-leading sixth home run of the season in the fourth, a two-run homer to right field.
Emmanuel Rodriguez slugged a two-out solo homer to right field in the first inning off Justin Meis (3-4) to give the Mighty Mussels an immediate lead. The second inning unraveled quickly for the Marauders, as four of the first five batters of the inning reached base safely. After a throwing error by Marauders shortstop Mike Jarvis and a Kala'i Rosario base hit, Dillon Tatum and Luis Baez hit back-to-back RBI-singles. A second run scored on the Baez infield single on a wild throw by Jarvis to first base. Rehabbing Twins shortstop Tim Beckham slugged a two-run homer to left-center for a 6-0 Fort Myers lead.
Meis would go on to last six innings and allowed a career-high seven runs, just three of which were earned. The right-hander rebounded from the Mussels' second-inning rally by retiring the side in order in both the third and fourth innings and allowed his final run in the fifth, when Beckham walked and later scored from third on a double-play grounder.
Left-hander Jaylen Nowlin started for the Mussels, striking out a career-high nine batters and allowing just one hit, Bowen's two-run homer in the fourth that followed a Brenden Dixon leadoff walk and made the score 6-2 Nowlin's strikeout tally made him the fifth consecutive Mussels starter to strike out seven or more Marauders batters.
Wilkin Ramos pitched in relief of Meis in the seventh, walking the bases full and nearly escaping the jam unscathed, but after back-to-back strikeouts, Ramos allowed a two-strike single to Rosario, plating two runs and advancing Fort Myers' lead to 9-2.
Matt Mullenbach (1-0) and Juan Mendez pitched two scoreless innings each for the Mighty Mussels, with the latter escaping a bases-loaded jam in the eighth with an inning-ending double play. Niklas Rimmel pitched a scoreless ninth, stranding a pair of walks that opened the inning.
In six different innings, the Marauders placed their leadoff man on base, but the team left seven runners stranded and went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position.
The series concludes Sunday with first pitch scheduled for 12 p.m. at LECOM Park. RHP Joelvis del Rosario (2-1, 3.34 ERA) will start for the Marauders, while the Mighty Mussels will start RHP Travis Adams (3-0, 2.03 ERA).
For more information about the Bradenton Marauders, please call (941) 747-3031, visit BradentonMarauders.com.
Florida State League Stories from May 28, 2022
- Hammerheads Drop Saturday's Contest - Jupiter Hammerheads
- Second-Inning Rally Sinks Marauders in Fifth Straight Loss - Bradenton Marauders
- Blue Jays Blank Mets 3-0 - St. Lucie Mets
- Dahian Santos Finishes off Strong Month, Blue Jays Even Series - Dunedin Blue Jays
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