Jupiter, FL - Blake Drake laid down a suicide squeeze in the twelfth inning to give the Palm Beach Cardinals (50-31, 10-4) a 4-3 win over the Bradenton Marauders (45-36, 8-6) on Thursday evening.The walk-off win happened less than 24 hours after last night's 14 inning walk-off between the same
Jupiter, FL - Blake Drake laid down a suicide squeeze in the twelfth inning to give the Palm Beach Cardinals (50-31, 10-4) a 4-3 win over the Bradenton Marauders (45-36, 8-6) on Thursday evening.
The walk-off win happened less than 24 hours after last night's 14 inning walk-off between the same two teams. Jake Woodford got the start and tossed five scoreless innings before giving up a run in the sixth. He gave up the one run on eight hits, over six complete innings of work, striking out five and walking none.
Palm Beach jumped out to the first lead in the bottom of the fifth. Chris Chinea hit a single to shallow center and got to second on a throwing error. Danny Diekroeger advanced Chinea on a single of his own. Andy Young hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Chine and give the Cardinals the 1-0 lead.
Bradenton tied it up in the top of the sixth inning as Will Craig hit a double to start the frame and got to third on a sacrifice bunt. He later scored on a Christian Kelly single to knot the game up at one apiece.
The Cardinals jumped back in front in the bottom half of the frame as Lane Thomas led things off with a walk and stole second. Chinea then drove in Thomas to give the Cardinals the 2-1 lead.
Ross Vance took over on the hill and got two quick outs before giving up the lead. Cole Tucker hit a two-out single and stole second base. He then scored on a Mitchell Tolman double to deep left-centerfield. The game would be tied at two at the stretch.
The Cardinals took the lead once more in the bottom of the seventh as Andy Young singled up the middle and got to second on a sacrifice bunt. José Godoy hit a single to score Young and give the Cardinals the 3-2 lead.
Vance tossed a scoreless eighth and gave the ball over to Ramon Santos. Santos got two quick outs in the ninth before giving up a double to Cole Tucker. Jacob Evans then came out of the bullpen to face the left handed hitter, Tolman. Tolman hit the first pitch from Evans over the head of Blake Drake and tied the game to send it into extras.
The Cardinals had a chance to win it in the bottom of the eleventh, but Drake got thrown out at the plate with one out on the board, and Thomas struck out swinging to end the frame with the bases loaded.
Chandler Hawkins started the 11th, his second inning of work, by walking Tolman and hitting Craig with a pitch. Hawkins battled back after both runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt and Kelley intentionally walked to load the bases. Hawkins got Casey Hughston to strike out and Kevin Krause grounded out to end the frame and set up the drama in the bottom of the eleventh.
Thomas Spitz drew a leadoff walk and got to third on a two-out single off the bat of Diekroeger putting runners on the corners for Drake. Drake laid down a bunt on the first pitch he saw and Spitz slid under the tag in time to give the Cardinals the 4-3 win and the 2-1 series victory as well.
