Tight Saturday Night Battle Ends in Marauders' Favor
Published on April 30, 2022 under Florida State League (FSL)
Bradenton Marauders News Release
BRADENTON, Fla. - The Marauders lost a two-run lead in the seventh inning Saturday night but quickly jumped back in front, leading the team to a 5-4 win over the Dunedin Blue Jays at LECOM Park.
The Marauders (12-8) claimed the series victory and have now won four of their last five games.
Working with a 3-1 lead, Marauders reliever Xavier Concepcion allowed a hit-by-pitch and back-to-back singles to open the seventh inning, bringing Dunedin (7-13) within one run. Yunior Thibo (3-0) took over and allowed a single to left field by Angel del Rosario. Left fielder Luke Brown threw home, and catcher Geovanny Planchart made a diving tag onto Gabriel Martinez, cutting down the would-by tying run. But after a lineout to right field, Amell Brazoban delivered a hit to right field that Marauders right fielder Randy Romero trapped on a diving attempt, and two runs scored on the play to give the Blue Jays a 4-3 lead.
Bradenton, however, pushed back in the bottom of the seventh. Jacob Gonzalez led off with an infield single, and Tsung-Che Cheng reached base on a fielder's choice. Juan Jerez followed with a single through the right side, and Brazoban misplayed the ball in center field, allowing Cheng to score the tying run and Jerez to reach second base. After a popout, Jakob Goldfarb delivered a single to center, plating Jerez for the go-ahead run.
Thibo went on to retire the side in order in the eighth and ninth innings to finish the victory for Bradenton.
Marauders right-hander Po-Yu Chen turned in a strong start but did not figure into the final decision. Chen opened the game by issuing a leadoff walk to Adrian Pinto who later scored on a Rainer Nunez infield-single, but an inning-ending double-play grounder began a streak of 13 straight batters retired by Chen to finish his outing after five innings. Chen recorded seven strikeouts, matching his career-high, including striking out the side in order in the fifth.
The Marauders tied the score, 1-1, in the bottom of the first when Luke Brown walked and later scored from third base on a Jerez groundout.
Bradenton took its first lead of the game in the fourth off Dunedin starter Michael Dominguez. Jerez led off by reaching third base on a dropped fly ball by right fielder Adriel Sotolongo, and after two walks loaded the bases, Mike Jarvis delivered a go-ahead RBI-single. Reliever Juan Nunez forced home a run by hitting Brown with a pitch to make the score 3-1, but the Marauders rally was cut short when Jarvis was thrown out at home attempting to score on a wild pitch.
Left-hander Trenton Wallace (0-1) took the loss for the Blue Jays, allowing the decisive runs in the seventh.
Jacob Gonzalez went 2-for-4 for the Marauders, extending his team-best on-base streak to 18 games.
The series concludes Sunday with first pitch scheduled for 12 p.m. at LECOM Park. RHP Joelvis del Rosario (0-1, 7.45 ERA) will start for the Marauders against RHP Rafael Ohashi (0-1, 3.38 ERA) for Dunedin.
For more information about the Bradenton Marauders, please call (941) 747-3031, visit BradentonMarauders.com.
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