Bradenton Marauders �9, �Jupiter Hammerheads �6 (box)
A 5-run 1st inning jump-started the Marauders, who never looked back after that. �A grand slam by LF Quincy Latimore was the highlight of the inning, following a single by RF Robbie Grossman, a ground-rule double by CF Starling Marte, and an intentional walk (which clearly backfired) to DH Tony Sanchez. After the homer, 3B Jeremy Farrell walked, stole second base, went to third on a passed ball, and scored on 1B Calvin Anderson’s sacrifice fly. �Bradenton posted another run in the 2nd inning, when SS Brock Holt singled, stole second base, and scored on Marte’s second double.
The onslaught continued in the 3rd inning. �Latimore doubled to begin the inning, and Farrell followed with a walk. �Singles by C Eric Fryer and 2B Greg Picart plated Latimore and Farrell, and after a pitching change, Holt’s sacrifice fly brought in Fryer. �The Marauders had at least one runner on base in all but two innings, but did not score after the 3rd inning. �Marte doubled for the third time in the 6th inning, and reached third base on a wild pitch, but got no further.
Meanwhile, the Bradenton pitchers started out strong, but let the Jupiter batters chip away at the big lead. �Starter Bryan Morris gave up a run on a double, a single, and an RBI ground out in the 2nd inning. �The Hammerheads loaded the bases with another single and a walk, but got out of that jam with a ground out. �A throwing error by Jeremy Farrell led to two unearned runs in the 5th inning. �A single, a double, and a sacrifice fly brought in the runs. �Morris pitched 5 innings and allowed 3 runs (one earned) on 8 hits, with 3 strikeouts. �Tyler Cox pitched 2 innings, giving up a 2-run homer in the 7th. �Diego Moreno pitched the final two innings, and he also gave up a homer– a solo shot in the 9th.
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Greenville Drive �6, �West Virginia Power 1 (box)
The Power posted 10 hits, but could not not push runs across the plate. �They left 9 runners on base, scoring only once. �DH David Rubinstein had 3 hits, including a double, and C Ramon Cabrera singled twice. �The only run came in the 2nd inning, when LF Rogelios Noris singles with two outs, and scored on Rubinstein’s double. �The Power had runners on base in every inning. �They came close to scoring again in the 5th inning, when Cabrera singled and 2B Jarek Cunningham doubled. �Cabrera raced around from first, but was thrown out at the plate. �The Power loaded the bases with one out in the 8th, when CF Evan Chambers walked, 1B Aaron Baker was hit by a pitch, and 3B Jesus Brito singled. �But a strike out and a fly out ended the inning without a run coming in.
Nathan Baker suffered the loss, his second this season. �He began the game and pitched 5.2 innings, allowing 4 runs on 3 hits and 2 walks, with 4 strikeouts. �A walk, a double, and a single scored two runs in the 3rd inning. �In the 6th, Baker struck out the first batter, then gave up a walk and a double. �A fielder’s choice grounder to third forced out the lead runner at the plate, but left runners on the corners. �Duke Welker came on in relief, but he gave up a triple to the first batter he faced, plating 2 runs. �A passed ball brought in a third run, charged to Welker. �Welker also gave up a run in the 7th, when he hit a batter and walked three more, forcing in a run. �Marc Baca pitched the final 2.1 innings, and he did not allow a run to score, though he gave up a walk and two singles.
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