Dunedin Blue Jays 5, Bradenton Marauders 4
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A run in the top of the 9th broke a 4-4 tie to give Dunedin the win. Diego Moreno was on the mound for the Marauders. He began the inning with a strikeout and a walk, then picked the runner off first base. The next batter reached on an error by 1B Aaron Baker. An RBI double into center field brought that runner all the way around from first base to score the go-ahead run. Two strikeouts and a ground out in the bottom of the 9th kept the Marauders from answering, and Dunedin had the win.
The Marauders had scored first, with a walk by RF Robbie Grossman, and singles by 2B Adalberto Santos and 3B Elevys Gonzalez in the 1st inning. Bradenton starter Brett Lorin gave up a run in the top of the 3rd with two singles and an RBI ground out, tying the game at 1-1. A double and an RBI single in the top of the 4th gave the Blue Jays the lead, but the Marauders tied it up again in the bottom of the frame with Baker’s solo homer.
Dunedin again took the lead in the 5th, with a fielding error, a sacrifice bunt, a ground out, and an RBI single. Lorin was relieved by Ryan Beckman, who ended the inning leaving two runners on base. Once again, the Marauders came back in the bottom of the inning, and took the lead on a triple by SS Benji Gonzalez and a 2-run homer by Grossman. But Beckman gave up a run in the top of the 6th on three consecutive singles, tying the score at 4-4.
Dunedin threatened in the 7th inning with a walk, a stolen base, and a single, but LF David Rubinstein’s throw in let C Ramon Cabrera tag out the lead runner at the plate. Rubinstein himself was thrown out at home in the bottom of the inning. He had reached on a fielding error, and moved to third on a single and a bunt, but a grounder to short became an out at the plate. Moreno relieved Beckman to begin the 8th, and he set the Blue Jays down in order in that inning, before getting into trouble in the 9th.
West Virgnia Power 6, Lexington Legends 2
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A 5-run 4th inning gave the Power all the power they needed to get past the Legends. The Power had managed only one hit over the first 3 innings — a double by DH Matt Curry to lead off the 2nd inning. Then the Power batted around in the 4th, beginning with a single by CF Mel Rojas. A passed ball moved Rojas to second base, and Curry walked to put two runners on base. 1B Justin Howard lined a single into center, driving in Rojas. LF Rogelios Noris brought in Curry with his single. C Elias Diaz blasted a 3-run homer to cap the scoring and send the Legends’ starting pitcher to the showers. 2B Andy Vasquez also doubled in the inning, but he was left on base.
Brandon Cumpton pitched into the 8th inning and earned the win. He gave up 2 runs (one earned) on 5 hits and a walk, with 4 strikeouts. The walk and one of the singles came in the 2nd inning, but those were the only Lexington runners to reach base in the first four innings. Another batter reached on a fielding error in the 5th, and Cumpton gave up a single in the 6th. The Legends threatened in the 7th with a double and a single, but RF Dan Grovatt’s throw in from the outfield had Diaz tagging out the lead runner out at the plate.
Cumpton began the 8th inning with a ground out and a double. After a fly out, Cumpton hit the next batter with a pitch. He was relieved by Jason Townsend. Townsend also hit a batter with a pitch to load the bases. An RBI single drove in one run, then a fielding error by SS Drew Maggi brought in the second run. Townsend ended the inning with a ground out, then he retired the side in order in the 9th.
The Power also put runners on base in the 5th inning, with a double by Grovatt and Curry being hit by a pitch. Two ground outs ended the frame without runs scoring. Maggi and Rojas both singled in the 7th inning, but a double play ended that inning. The Power scored one more run in the top of the 9th. 3B Kevin Mort led off with a single, moved to second on Vasquez’s sacrifice bunt, then on to third with a stolen base. Rojas’s RBI single plated Mort with the Power’s 6th run.
