Tarpons seal series win with victory over Marauders, 3-1
TAMPA, Fla. - The Tampa Tarpons (14-25) extended their winning streak to three games, and won their first series of the year against the Bradenton Marauders (17-22). Tampa’s pitching staff shut out the Marauders through eight innings before they put a run on the board in the ninth. RHP Ryan
TAMPA, Fla. - The Tampa Tarpons (14-25) extended their winning streak to three games, and won their first series of the year against the Bradenton Marauders (17-22). Tampa’s pitching staff shut out the Marauders through eight innings before they put a run on the board in the ninth. RHP Ryan Harvey (5.1IP, 1H, 8K, HBP) tossed a stellar 5.1 innings of shutout ball.
Harvey only allowed one hit while tossing a season-high five plus innings. He rebounded from his last start, where he couldn’t make it out of the first inning. Harvey found his control today, throwing 71% of his pitches for strikes and not walking a batter.
The Tarpons rallied with two outs in the second. 3B Hans Montero tripled to left field, and then RF Coby Morales singled to left field to give Tampa the early advantage. C Edinson Duran ripped the Tarpons’ second triple of the inning down the left field corner, bringing home Morales to extend the lead.
Fresh from the FCL, LHP Rafelin Nivar relieved Harvey with one out in the sixth. Braylon Bishop and Keiner Delgado both singled, and a slider drilled Omar Alfonzo to load the bases. With the Marauders looking to even up the game, Nivar settled down and induced a 6-4-3 double play to escape the inning unscathed.
Tampa added an insurance run in the ninth, courtesy of H. Montero. He lifted his second long ball of the series over the right field wall to give Tampa a three-run lead.
Bradenton didn’t go down quietly in the ninth. Delgado doubled to open the frame, and a single from Alfonzo singled to put runners at the corners. Axiel Plaz sent a deep fly ball to center that came close to going over the wall and tying the game, but CF Willy Montero ran it down on the warning to record the first out as Delgado came in to score. Esmerlyn Valdez singled, and the Tarpons called on RHP Montana Semmel (S, 2) to close out the game. Semmel was greeted with a single off the bat of Solomon Maguire to load the bases. With the bases juiced and Kalae Harrison at the plate, Harrison lined a comebacker right back to Semmel. He caught the comebacker and threw to third for the game-ending double play to seal Tampa’s third win in a row.
The Tarpons will hit the road and travel to Jupiter to take on the Hammerheads on Tuesday. RHP Gabriel Barbosa is projected to make the start with first pitch at 6:30 p.m.