Curtis Strikes Out Career-High Nine, Marauders Fall 6-3 on Saturday

BRADENTON, FL — The Bradenton Marauders fell to the Dunedin Blue Jays 6-3 on Saturday night at LECOM Park to snap the Marauders three-game winning streak.

For the second straight night, Alexis Hernandez clubbed a solo-home run in the second inning to push the Blue Jays ahead 1-0.

The Marauders answered with a three-run second after Javier Rivas, Wesley Zapata, and Braylon Bishop tallied three-straight singles. The latter hit by Bishop scored Rivas to tie the game at one. After Nolan Perry struck out Major League rehabber Jason Delay, Shalin Polanco reached first on a dropped catch error by Perry. During the play, both runners scored to give Bradenton a 3-1 lead.

The Blue Jays threatened in the third after Khristian Curtis walked the first two hitters before the right-hander struck out the side. Curtis ended his day punching out five of the final nine batters en route to striking out a career-high nine in five innings. The nine punchouts are also the most by a Marauders starter this season.

Cristian Feliz and Hernandez reached base to start the sixth against Hunter Furtado (0-1). Feliz scored on a throwing error from Esmeryln Valdez while Hernandez ended up scoring on a Daniel Perez sacrifice fly a few batters later.

Bradenton had a chance to tie the game in the sixth after Juanmi Vasquez walked Kalae Harrison and Sergio Campana to start the frame. Vasquez struck out the next two hitters before Bo Bonds (1-1) entered and induced an inning-ending groundout to maintain a 3-1 Blue Jays lead.

Dunedin took a 6-3 lead in the seventh on back-to-back run scoring hits from Feliz and Hernandez.

Bradenton’s best scoring chance came in the eighth with a Valdez leadoff single and Campana one-out walk to place two runners on base. Irv Carter retired the next two in order to end the threat.

JJ Sanchez (SV,3) tossed a scoreless ninth to close out the game and snap the Marauders three-game winning streak.

With the RBI single in the second, Bishop extended his hitting streak to a season-long six games.

The Marauders and Blue Jays wrap up their six-game series at LECOM Park on Sunday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 p.m., with pregame coverage beginning at 11:40 a.m. on the Marauders Broadcast Network. Bradenton will turn to LHP Connor Oliver (0-1, 5.59) while Dunedin sends RHP Gage Stanifer (0-2,6.94) to the hill.