Fort Myers Clubs Three Home Runs to Sink Marauders 7-3

FORT MYERS, FL — The Bradenton Marauders dropped their second-straight road contest against the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels 7-3 on Friday night at Hammond Stadium.

After the game began with an hour delay due to wet grounds, Bradenton broke through first in the second inning against Charlee Soto. After Axiel Plaz walked, Miguel Sosa and Shalin Polanco both singled to load the bases for Javier Rivas. The Marauders infielder singled back up the middle to plate two and give the Marauders a 2-0 advantage.

Fort Myers answered right away in the bottom half of the inning against Minor League rehabber Mike Burrows. Carlos Aguiar led off the frame with a solo-home run to right field to cut the deficit in half at 2-1. Afterwards, Wilfri Castro walked and later scored on a throwing error on a hit from Walker Jenkins to tie the game two.

Byron Chourio mashed a solo-home run in the third against Hunter Furtado (2-3) to hand Fort Myers their first lead at 3-2.

The scoreline remained that way until Carlos Jimenez walked Aguiar who then scored on a two-run home run from Castro to break the game open at 5-2. The next batter, Ryan McCarthy, then reached third on an error from Miguel Sosa in left field. He scored on a fielder’s choice to extend the Mussels lead to 6-2. Wilker Reyes (2-1) tossed two scoreless frames out of the bullpen for Fort Myers

After Rivas and Braylon Bishop reached on a walk and hit by pitch to start the top of the top of the seventh, both advanced on a wild pitch from Nolan Santos (SV, 8) before Rivas scored on a groundout to cut the deficit to 6-3.

In the top of the eighth, again the first two men reached before Santos retired the next three men in order. The Mussels scored another in the eighth before Santos tossed a scoreless ninth to close out the ballgame.

The Marauders and Mighty wrap up three-game series at Hammond Stadium on Saturday night. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m., with pregame coverage beginning at 5:45 p.m. on the Marauders Broadcast Network. Bradenton sends RHP Peyton Stumbo (1-2, 4.74) to the mound against RHP Tanner Hall (0-0, 5.40) for Fort Myers.