Two Big Innings Sink Marauders in 8-2 Loss

C Omar Alfonzo Extends On-Base Streak to 15 Games

By Thomas Zinzarella/Bradenton Marauders

May 31, 2024

FORT MYERS, FL — After a rainout on Thursday evening, the Bradenton Marauders dropped Friday night’s contest at Hammond Stadium 8-2 to the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels. Bradenton’s best scoring chance came early in the third inning after Wesley Zapata doubled off Cesar Lares (2-1) to start the frame. After

FORT MYERS, FL — After a rainout on Thursday evening, the Bradenton Marauders dropped Friday night’s contest at Hammond Stadium 8-2 to the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels.

Bradenton’s best scoring chance came early in the third inning after Wesley Zapata doubled off Cesar Lares (2-1) to start the frame. After a strikeout, Eddy Rodriguez singled to right field and then stole second base to place runners at second and third with just one-out. Lares retired the next two batters to end the threat.

Fort Myers broke through with a four-run fourth against Carlson Reed (3-2). Poncho Ruiz and Rixon Wingrove worked a pair of walks to start the inning before Byron Chourio doubled in Ruiz to give the Mighty Mussels a 1-0 lead. The next batter, Maddux Houghton, flied a ball to centerfield to plate Wingrove on a sacrifice fly and double the Fort Myers advantage at 2-0. After a walk to Ryan McCarthy, an error scored the last two runs to complete a four-run inning.

The Marauders chipped into the deficit right away against Lares in the fifth after Rodriguez walked and Esmerlyn Valdez singled with two outs. Omar Alfonzo then roped a double to the wall in left-center field to score both runners and trim the deficit to 4-2. With the double, Alfonzo his on-base streak to 15 games.

Winokur walked to start the fifth and advanced to second base on a wild pitch from Danny Carrion before scoring on a Byron Chourio single to extend the Fort Myers lead to 5-2.

The first three runners reached base safely in the bottom of the sixth on a pair of singles and a hit batter. A Payton Eeles sacrifice fly and a Brooks Lee two-RBI single completed the game’s scoring at 8-2.

The Marauders and Mighty Mussels continue their series on Saturday night from Hammond Stadium with a doubleheader consisting of two seven-inning games. First pitch for game one is scheduled for 4:00 p.m., with pregame coverage beginning at 3:40 p.m. on the Marauders Broadcast Network. In game one, Bradenton sends LHP Michael Kennedy (1-2, 3.83) to the hill opposite of RHP Charlee Soto (0-2, 6.35) for Fort Myers.