A Series First: Marauders Clinch First Road Series Victory of the Season

PORT ST. LUCIE, FL — For first time this season, the Bradenton Marauders clinched a road series win after defeating the St. Lucie Mets 9-4 on Friday night at Clover Park. The Marauders have won the first four games of the series and will look to go for a six-game sweep the next two nights.

For the third-fourth day, the Marauders jumped ahead first with a run in the second inning. After Joel Diaz retired the first batter of the inning, the Marauders strung together four straight extra-base hits. Miguel Sosa doubled and then scored on another double from Javier Rivas before Braylon Bishop tripled him in to push the Marauders advantage to 2-0. Jeral Toledo scored Bishop on a double but was thrown out at third trying to stretch it to a triple.

In his first start since mid-June Khristian Curtis tossed two scoreless frames before running into trouble in the third. Curtis walked the first two batters and then Boston Baro doubled in a run to cut it to 3-1. With runners at second and third, Ronald Hernandez grounded out to second base to score another. The Mets took a 4-3 lead on a two-RBI triple from AJ Ewing to close out the inning. It was the Mets’ first lead of the entire series.

Bradenton’s one-run deficit was short lived as they tied the game in the ensuing inning and scored six unanswered runs to end the contest. In the fourth, Rivas tallied a leadoff single, stole second base and advanced to third on a wild pitch before scoring on a throwing error from Baro to tie the game.

The Marauders took the lead again with a three-run fifth. Esmerlyn Valdez worked a leadoff walk against Lucas Gordillo (0-1) and then scored on a double from Shalin Polanco to go ahead 5-4. A passed ball and a doubleplay ball scored the other two runs to complete the innings scoring.

With a 7-4 cushion, Bradenton added on two more in the eighth on a sac bunt from Jeral Toledo and a Keiner Delgado RBI single.

Curtis departed after 2.1 frames and Clevari Tejada (1-0) fired 4.2 scoreless innings after before Magdiel Cotto struck out five in two scoreless in his return from the injured list as well.

Four different Bradenton batters recorded multi-hit games, with Rivas leading the way going 3-for4- with a double, an RBI, and three runs scored.

The Marauders and Mets continue their six-game series on Saturday night at Clover Park. First pitch is scheduled for 6:10 p.m., with pregame coverage beginning at 5:50 p.m. on the Marauders Broadcast Network.