Bradenton Edged Out by Clearwater 5-2 in Shortened Six-Inning Affair

CLEARWATER, FL — In a shortened contest due to inclement weather on Friday night at BayCare Ballpark, the Bradenton Marauders fell 5-2 to the Clearwater Threshers. The loss snapped the Marauders four-game winning streak.

For the first time in this series, the Clearwater Threshers scored the game’s first run. In the bottom of the first inning against Minor League rehabber Aaron Shortridge (0-1), Devin Saltiban hit a one-out single. After stealing second and advancing to third on a throwing error from Abrahan Gutierrez, Pierce Bennett hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score Saltiban and give the Threshers a 1-0 lead.

After Wen Hui Pan struck out four of the six that he faced, Bradenton plated a pair of runs in the third against Josh Bortka (2-2). Juan Jerez tallied one-out single, then stole second base and scored on a Solomon Maguire two-run home run to right field to give the Marauders their first advantage at 2-1.

Clearwater went on to score four unanswered runs beginning with a three-run third. Jordan Viars singled and Saltiban walked to place two runners on with one out. A wild pitch advanced both runners before a Bennett single tied the game at two. Shortridge departed and Hunter Furtado entered out of the bullpen. After a strikeout to Raylin Heredia, Bryson Ware doubled two runners home to give the lead at 4-2.

Connor Oliver started the fourth inning and after striking out the first two, Avery Owusu-Asiedu blasted a solo-home run to left field to pad the Threshers lead at 5-2.

Brandon Beckel (SV,1) tossed three scoreless frames out of the bullpen before play was halted in the top of the seventh inning and entered into a rain delay. After a delay of an hour, the game was ruled a complete game due to inclement weather still in the area.

In his first rehab start with the Marauders, Shortridge gave up three earned runs (four runs) on five hits while walking one and striking out four in 2.1 innings.

The Marauders and Threshers continue their six-game series at BayCare Ballpark on Saturday night. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., with pregame coverage beginning at 6:10 p.m. on the Marauders Broadcast Network. Bradenton sends Minor League rehabber RHP Mike Burrows to the hill opposite of RHP Micah Ottenbreit (2-5, 5.16) for Clearwater.