Marauders Drop Sunday Series-Finale 4-1 in Clearwater

CLEARWATER, FL — For the second straight day, the Bradenton Marauders offense was held to just four hits as they were defeated by the Clearwater Threshers 4-1 on Sunday afternoon at BayCare Ballpark. Bradenton does secure at least a series split for the second-straight road trip, having won the first three games of this week's series.

For the third straight contest, Clearwater opened the ballgame with a pair of runs in the first inning. Bryson Ware doubled before Carlos Jimenez (2-3) walked the next two batters to load the bases. After Niko Pouaka-Grego was hit by a pitch to score the first run, Jared Thomas singled to right field to plate Bennett and double the Threshers lead to 2-0 in the first.

After Jimenez tossed two scoreless frames, the Threshers added another two runs in the fourth. Pouaka-Grego walked, and Thomas doubled to start the inning. Jimenez struck out Diego Gonzalez before a throwing error scored two runs to make it 4-0 Clearwater.

Braydon Tucker (4-1) didn’t allow a hit for the first 4.1 frames until Enmanuel Terrero laced a single to left-center field. Sergio Campana then walked, and Solomon Maguire singled to load the bases with one-out. Wesley Zapata hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield to trim the deficit to 4-1.

The Marauders offense had two hits the rest of the way then, with Shalin Polanco collecting a double in the ninth inning against Drew Garrett (SV,4). The Threshers closer retired the next two batters to end the ballgame.

Bradenton’s offense finished June with 31 home runs, the most in Single-A. They needed three home runs on Sunday to tie the franchise record for most home runs hit in calendar month. The Marauders crushed 34 in June last season to hold the record.

Inmer Lobo struck out two and allowed just two hits in three scoreless innings out of the bullpen.

The Marauders travel back to Bradenton to start a three-game homestand against the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels on Monday night. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., with pregame coverage beginning at 6:10 p.m. on the Marauders Broadcast Network.