Seventh-Inning Rally Propels Another Marauders Win

TAMPA, Fla. — A four-run seventh inning lifted the Marauders to a second straight win, 7-3, over the Tampa Tarpons on Wednesday night at Steinbrenner Field.

The Marauders (29-15, 58-51) have now won nine of their last 11 games and improve to four games ahead of Tampa (24-18, 51-57) for the FSL West lead.

With the score tied, 3-3, Jasiah Dixon and Tsung-Che Cheng led off the top of the seventh inning with back-to-back walks off Tarpons reliever Ryan Anderson. Sergio Campana was then hit by a pitch, loading the bases, and Tres Gonzalez followed by taking another hit-by-pitch, forcing home the go-ahead run. Right-hander Nick Paciorek took over for Anderson and allowed a two-run single to Jack Brannigan, and two batters later, Brenden Dixon lined an RBI-single for a 7-3 Marauders lead.

Bradenton’s bullpen held down the fort the rest of the way. Carlos Lomeli held the Tarpons hitless across three innings of nearly flawless relief, striking out three and earning the win, and Yunior Thibo overcame a hit-by-pitch and a walk in the ninth by inducing a double-play grounder and a game-ending groundout.

The game had remained close for the first six innings. Cheng homered to right field on the game’s second pitch from Tarpons starter Sean Hermann, but after Marauders starter Carlos Jimenez held Tampa scoreless in the first and second innings, the home team knotted the score at 1-1 in the third on a Marcos Cabrera RBI-single.

In the top of the fourth, the Marauders jumped in front, 3-1, on a two-run homer to right field by Brenden Dixon, but Tampa quickly tied the score again in the home half. Tayler Aguilar doubled and took third base on a bloop single by Ben Rice, and after a double-play grounder by Christopher Familia plated Aguilar, Raimfer Salinas launched a game-tying homer to left off Jimenez.

The two starters traded zeroes in the fifth inning, with Jimenez finishing his outing with a pickoff at first base of Spencer Jones, who has been hit by a pitch. The right-hander finished his night with three runs allowed on five hits, walking two and striking out four.

All nine players in the Marauders lineup reached base safely, and seven of the nine recorded a hit. Brannigan, Cheng, Brenden Dixon, and Hendrie collected two hits each, with Dixon’s three RBI leading the team and matching his season-high.

The series continues Thursday with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Steinbrenner Field. LHP Luis Peralta will start for the Marauders, while Tampa will counter with RHP Zach Messinger.

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

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