Jupiter Hammerheads 5, Bradenton Marauders 4
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Like the Indianapolis Indians, the Marauders also lost in the bottom of the 13th inning this evening. Bradenton had the early lead, with 3 runs in the 2nd inning, on a single by C Ramon Cabrera, a double by 3B Elevys Gonzalez, then singles by SS Benji Gonzalez, RF Robbie Grossman, and CF Evan Chambers. DH Calvin Anderson added a fourth run in the top of the 3rd with a solo home run.
Kyle McPherson made the start for the Marauders. He zipped through the first 3 innings, allowing only one hit. He gave up 2 runs on 3 singles in the 4th inning, to cut the Marauders’ lead to 4-2. That score held until the bottom of the 8th. McPherson pitched 3 more innings, for a total of 7, and allowed just 2 more hits. He did not walk anyone, and he struck out 8 batters. Porfirio Lopez began the 8th, and got a ground out, then gave up a solo homer and a walk. Lopez was relieved by Diego Moreno, and after a stolen base, another single drove in the runner from second base to tie the score.
Adalberto Santos singled in the 5th and stole second base, then the next 14 Marauders’ batters went down in order. Jhonathan Ramos took over for Moreno in the 9th, and worked around two runners, keeping Jupiter from scoring. He gave up a double in the 10th, but left that runner on base. Walks by Santos and Benji Gonzalez put two runners on for the Marauders in the top of the 11th, and they did not score either. Ramos gave up a single in the 11th, but picked that runner off base. He walked another batter, and left him stranded.
Chambers singled in the 12th, and was caught stealing. Cabrera singled in the 13th, but was left on base. Gabriel Alvarado took the bottom of the 12th for the Marauders, and he worked around a single and a walk to preserve the tie. Finally, in the bottom of the 13th, with Alvarado still on the mound, a walk, a sacrifice bunt, and an intentional walk put two runners on for Jupiter. The next batter singled into right field, but Grossman’s throw in to Cabrera was on-target and the lead runner was out at the plate. Another single loaded the bases, and the third consecutive single brought in the winning run.
Altoona Curve 5, Richmond Flying Squirrels 1
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Aaron Pribanic earned his first win of the season with a strong performance. Richmond got onto the scoreboard in the top of the 1st with an unearned run. A single and a fielding error by SS Shelby Ford put two runners on base, and a double steal moved both into scoring position. Pribanic balked, and that let the runners both move up one more base, scoring the lead runner. That was the only run the Squirrels would score. Pribanic scattered 3 singles and a double (no walks) over the next 5 innings, with 2 strikeouts.
The Curve tied the score in the bottom of the 2nd. C Tony Sanchez was hit by a pitch, and went to second on 1B Miles Durham’s walk. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch, and Sanchez scored on 3B Jeremy Farrell’s RBI ground out. Pribanic led off the 3rd with a single, followed by a single by 2B Brock Holt. Ford’s grounder forced out Holt at second, leaving runners on the corners. Pribanic and Ford scored on RF Eric Fryer’s single, which was complicated by both a missed catch error and a throwing error. Sanchez also singled, to drive in Fryer, and the Curve had a 4-1 lead. One more insurance run scored in the 5th. Singles by Holt and Ford plus a walk to Fryer loaded the bases. Fryer was picked off first base, but Sanchez singled to plate Holt.
Tom Boleska and Michael Dubee finished things off for the Curve. Boleska allowed one hit in his two innings, and Dubee worked around a single and a fielding error by Holt in the 9th.
