Cheng walks it off for Marauders in ninth

CHENG WALKS IT OFF FOR MARAUDERS IN NINTH

Bradenton Shortstop Delivers Game-Winning Hit with Two Out

BRADENTON, Fla. — Tsung-Che Cheng seized an opportunity with two outs in the ninth inning Tuesday night, delivering a walkoff RBI-single that lifted the Marauders over the Lakeland Flying Tigers at LECOM Park.

With the score tied, 3-3, the Marauders (3-1) got a one-out single from Geovanny Planchart. After a popout, Brenden Dixon grounded a ball to second baseman Cristian Santana, whose throw to first base pulled Justice Bigbie’s foot off the base, keeping Bradenton alive in the inning. Right-hander Erick Pinales replaced Carlos Marcano (0-1) on the mound for Lakeland (1-3) and gave up a line-drive single to right field by Cheng, scoring Planchart from second base for the winning run.

Bradenton had received strong pitching from rehabbing Pirates right-hander Max Kranick and an electric bullpen effort, but the Flying Tigers took the lead early. After retiring the first four batters he faced, Kranick allowed a line-drive solo homer to Chris Meyers. Kranick finished with three strikeouts and retired six of the seven batters he faced in two innings.

Piggyback starter Carlos Jimenez surrendered a solo home run to Santana in the third but kept the game within reach for the Marauders, fanning six Lakeland batters across three innings.

Alexander Mojica brought Bradenton within one run, 2-1, in the fourth with an RBI-double to left field, and in the fifth, the Marauders took advantage of a Jacob Gonzalez infield single when Dixon followed with a go-ahead two-run homer to left off Aaron Haase. The lead held until the eighth, when a Meyers triple evaded the diving reach of Bradenton left fielder Jakob Goldfarb, and Josh Crouch plated the tying run with a groundout to short.

But Yunior Thibo (1-0), who allowed the game-tying tally in the eighth, delivered a scoreless ninth for the Marauders, striking out two to set the stage for the walkoff victory in the home half.

Cristian Charle provided two innings of scoreless relief in the sixth and seventh for the Marauders, whose four pitchers in the game combined for 14 strikeouts and just one walk.

Flying Tigers starter Garrett Burhenn took a no-decision after limiting Bradenton to one run on six hits across four innings. The right-hander struck out five in his professional debut.

The series continues Wednesday at LECOM Park with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m. LHP Luis Peralta will start for the Marauders against a yet-to-be-announced starter for Lakeland.

For more information about the Bradenton Marauders, please call (941) 747-3031, visit BradentonMarauders.com, or email [email protected].

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