CLEARWATER, Fla. – Josh Tate tripled and collected two RBIs, but the Bradenton Marauders (6-10) allowed four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to the Clearwater Threshers (9-7) that led to a 7-5 loss on Tuesday from BayCare Ballpark. The Bradenton offense combined for 12 hits and Jeter Martinez totaled five strikeouts in his third start of the year.
The Marauders offense exploded in the top of the third off Threshers starter Gage Wood. Eddie Rynders walked, while Luke Scherrer and Dylan Palmer notched back-to-back singles to load the bases. A double by Edward Florentino plated Rynders and Scherrer to make it a 2-0 ballgame. Palmer scored from third on a groundout by Murf Gray, and Florentino was plated on a base hit from Tate to make it 4-0.
Clearwater scratched across two runs against Martinez, but Bradenton bounced back off Threshers reliever Peyton Havard in the top of the fifth. Ivan Brethowr singled and came around to score on a triple by Tate, putting the Marauders up 5-2.
The Threshers posted a run in the bottom of the seventh against Marauders reliever Adolfo Oviedo, and four runs off reliever Noah Takacs in the bottom of the eighth to take a 7-5 lead.
The Marauders offense went silent in the ninth, losing by a final score of 7-5.
Jacob Pruitt (2-0) earned the win, allowing two hits with two strikeouts over 2.0 scoreless frames. Takacs (0-2) took the loss, letting up three runs (zero earned) on a walk over 0.1 frames. Camron Hill (1) collected the save with a strikeout in a perfect ninth.
Bradenton and Clearwater play game two of a six-game series on Wednesday from BayCare Ballpark with first pitch set for 12:00 p.m. EST. RHP Clevari Tejada (0-1, 3.00) takes the ball for the Marauders, while RHP Cody Bowker (0-2, 10.38) starts for the Threshers.
For more information about the Bradenton Marauders, please call 941-747-3031, visit www.BradentonMarauders.com, or email MaraudersInfo@pirates.com.
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