BRADENTON, Fla. – Jhostynxon Garcia smashed a go-ahead solo homer in the bottom of the seventh, lifting the Bradenton Marauders (12-13) to a 5-4 win over the Lakeland Flying Tigers (14-11) on Friday from LECOM Park. Seth Hernandez tied his career-high with nine strikeouts over 5.0 innings, while Draven Zeigler earned two strikeouts to notch his fifth save.
With Lakeland up 2-0 in the bottom of the third, Cristian Jauregui blasted a solo homer off Flying Tigers starter Kelvis Salcedo to make it a 2-1 ballgame.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Marauders took the lead against Flying Tigers reliever Charlie Christensen. Jauregui was hit by a pitch and Dylan Palmer reached on a fielder's choice to put runners at second and first. Yordany De Los Santos singled and Jauregui scored on a throwing error to tie the game 2-2. With Palmer at third, Garcia hit a sacrifice fly to right, plating Palmer to make it a 3-2 ballgame.
The Marauders increased the lead off Flying Tigers reliever Luke Hoskins in the bottom of the sixth. Richard Ramirez doubled and scored on a double by Palmer to move the score, 4-2.
After Lakeland tied the game at 4-4 in the top of the seventh off Bradenton reliever Greiber Mendez, the Marauders answered back in the home half of the inning. Garcia rocketed a solo homer off Hoskins to put Bradenton up 5-4.
Zeigler pitched a shutdown ninth, finalizing a 5-4 win for the Marauders.
Mendez (2-0) takes the win, allowing two runs on four hits and three strikeouts over 2.0 frames. Hoskins (1-2) gets the loss, letting up two runs on three hits with a punch out over 2.0 innings. Zeigler (5) earned two strikeouts in a perfect ninth to get the save.
The Marauders and Flying Tigers play the penultimate of a six-game set on Saturday from LECOM Park with first pitch set for 6:30 p.m. RHP Yonleg Gaetano (0-0, 2.25) takes the ball for Bradenton, and LHP Caleb Leys (0-1, 4.97) is on the bump for the Lakeland.
For more information about the Bradenton Marauders, please call 941-747-3031, visit www.BradentonMarauders.com, or email MaraudersInfo@pirates.com.