Baserunners Scarce in Loss to Mighty Mussels

BRADENTON, Fla. — The Marauders managed just three hits, all singles, in a 4-0 loss Friday night to the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels at LECOM Park.

The loss ended a four-game winning streak for the Marauders (35-23, 64-59) and snapped a five-game losing streak for the Mighty Mussels (23-34, 64-57). Bradenton’s defeat drops the team back to a half-game out of first place as the evening’s Tampa and Dunedin game was again suspended due to inclement weather.

Four Fort Myers pitchers—Marco Raya, Brock Stewart, Regi Grace Jr., and Malik Barrington—combined on the shutout, striking out 13 Marauders batters and allowing just two walks. Raya and Grace led the visitors with five strikeouts each.

Luis Peralta lasted just 3.2 innings in his start for Bradenton, allowing all four of the game’s runs. The left-hander walked a career-high five batters and surrendered a three-run homer to Keoni Cavaco in the second inning and allowed a Nate Baez RBI-single in the fourth.

The Marauders recorded just one hit through the game’s first eight innings. Tanner Tredaway led off the bottom of the third with a walk off Raya, then advanced to second base on a Sergio Campana single. But Tsung-Che Cheng grounded into a double play, and Termarr Johnson struck out looking, ending the inning. Cheng would finish 0-for-4, ending a 14-game on-base streak. Tredaway, meanwhile, stretched his on-base streak to 14 games.

Bradenton would not manage another hit or place another runner into scoring position until the ninth inning. With one out, Johnson and Juan Jerez hit back-to-back singles off Barrington. But Jack Brannigan was retired on a deep flyout to left-center that the wind blew back into the ballpark, and Wyatt Hendrie grounded out to shortstop, ending the game.

Three Marauders relievers provided scoreless work behind Peralta to keep the game within reasonable reach. Jake Sweeney struck out three over 1.1 innings and stranded two inherited runners after taking over from Peralta, and Yunior Thibo and Cy Nielson tossed two scoreless innings each.

The series continues Saturday with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at LECOM Park. RHP Joelvis del Rosario will start for the Marauders, while RHP Tomas Cleto will start for the Mighty Mussels.

For more information about the Bradenton Marauders, please call (941) 747-3031, visit BradentonMarauders.com, or email [email protected].

###