DUNEDIN, FL (Bradenton Marauders) – The Marauders took an early lead Thursday night, but Blue Jays rallies in the fifth and sixth innings sank Bradenton in a 9-7 loss at TD Ballpark.
The loss denied the Marauders (29-36) a third consecutive win, a mark that the team has not reached since a three-game win streak from April 26 to 28.
Rodolfo Nolasco delivered a two-run double in the first inning off Connor Cooke to put Bradenton in an early lead. But after Marauders starter Po-Yu Chen (1-6) tossed four effective innings to begin his outing, limiting the Blue Jays (28-38) to just a third-inning sacrifice fly, the right-hander struggled in the fifth. With two outs, a single and a walk set the table for Glenn Santiago, who lined a game-tying single to right field. That began a string of four consecutive singles for the Blue Jays, who plated four runs with the rally and knocked Chen from the game with a 5-2 lead for the home team.
After Dunedin reliever Julian Valdez held Bradenton scoreless over two and one-third innings in early relief of Cooke, who left in the second with an apparent injury, the Marauders struck back in the sixth. Back-to-back doubles by Tsung-Che Cheng and Brenden Dixon cut the deficit to 5-3, but after then loading the bases on a single and a walk, a Randy Romero groundout to third squelched the threat.
Dunedin proceeded to rally for four more runs in the sixth on four hits off Marauders reliever Johan Montero, re-extending the home team’s lead to 9-3.
In the seventh, Bradenton pieced together a rally of their own. Jase Bowen worked a leadoff walk from Jonatan Bernal (1-5) and took third on a ground-rule double by Cheng. Brenden Dixon walked to load the bases, and Grant Koch lifted a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Bowen. A walk to Rodolfo Nolasco followed, re-loading the bases, and Bernal balked Cheng home, bringing the score to 9-5. Left-hander Soenni Martinez took over for Bernal and allowed a groundball two-run single to right field by Jasiah Dixon, making the score 9-7. Dixon stole second base but was left stranded on a Norkis Marcos flyout to end the inning.
Martinez proceeded to retire the side in order in both the eighth and ninth innings, securing the win for the Blue Jays.
Bernal surrendered five runs and walked four in his two and two-thirds innings but earned the win.
Cheng, Koch, and Nolasco each recorded two hits for the Marauders, but Glenn Santiago and Adriel Sotolongo led Dunedin with two hits and three RBI each. Jase Bowen went 1-for-4 for the Marauders with a first-inning double, extending his hit streak to a season-high nine games.
The series continues Friday with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at TD Ballpark. RHP Carlos Jimenez will start for the Marauders against Blue Jays RHP Dahian Santos.
