Bradenton Marauders 13, Brevard County Manatees 3
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The Marauders bombarded the Manatees with 19 hits for 13 runs, with all but one member of the lineup getting at least one hit. RF Adalberto Santos posted 4 hits, including a double and a triple. LF David Rubinstein, C Carlos Paulino, and SS Kelson Brown all recording 3 hits each.
The scoring began in the bottom of the 2nd. Rubinstein and Santos singled, then both scored on Paulino’s 3-run homer. The Manatees got one of the runs back in the top of the 3rd on a walk, a ground-rule double, and an RBI single. 1B Aaron Baker’s homer gave the Marauders a 4-1 lead in the bottom of the 3rd.
And the Marauders kept right on rolling. They scored 4 runs in the 4th inning. Santos doubled and stole third base. Paulino walked and Brown singled, scoring Santos. RF Robbie Grossman put down a sacrifice bunt, but a throwing error by the Manatee pitcher put Grossman on second base and let both Paulino and Brown come in to score. A single by 2B Jarek Cunningham and a sacrifice fly by Baker brought in Grossman with the 4th run of the inning. Then they added 3 more in the 5th, on singles by Rubinstein, Santos, Paulino, Grossman, and Baker (2 RBI), with an RBI ground out too.
Quinton Miller, who made the start for Bradenton, retired the Manatees in order for two innings after giving up the run in the top of the 3rd. He gave up a homer in the 6th, for a total of 2 runs on 5 hits and one walk, with 2 strikeouts. Brian Leach pitched the 7th inning, with two walks and a double play. Jason Erickson gave up the remaining Manatees’ run in the 8th on a walk and a double. Duke Welker pitched the 9th inning and gave up a single, erased that runner with a double play, then allowed a walk and a single before ending the inning with a line out.
The Marauders finished up with two more runs in the bottom of the 8th, on a single by 3B Elevys Gonzalez and a 2-run homer by Rubinstein.
Portland Sea Dogs 7, Altoona Curve 2
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It was Portland who did the bombarding in this game, pounding out 18 hits and scoring 7 runs. They left 9 runners on base. With Jared Hughes on the mound for the Curve, the game began with a solo home run by the Sea Dogs’ lead-off batter. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases with Sea Dogs in the 2nd inning, and a double drove in 2 runs, giving Portland a 3-0 lead.
The Curve scored one run in the bottom of the third. With two outs, RF Jose Hernandez doubled, and scored on 2B Brock Holt’s RBI single. CF Brad Chalk walked, and both he and Holt stole a base, moving both into scoring position, but they were both left stranded.
Portland scored one run in each of the next three innings. A single, a walk, a wild pitch, and an RBI single brought in a run in the 4th. Tim Alderson took over for Hughes to begin the 5th, and the first batter he faced also smacked a solo home run. A double and a single added a run in the 6th, also off Alderson. Bryan Morris finished the 6th inning for Alderson, then pitched the rest of the game. The 7th and 8th innings were scoreless, but a triple an an RBI single gave Portland one last run in the top of the 9th.
The Curve had runners on base in each inning after they scored in the 3rd. They did not score again, though, until the bottom of the 8th. WIth two outs, SS Jordy Mercer walked and both 1B Matt Curry and C Tony Sanchez singled, with Sanchez picking up the RBI as he drove in Mercer.
