Blue Jays Beat Marauders After Prolonged Rain Delay

BRADENTON – The Marauders had their four-game winning streak snapped by a 6-4 loss to the Dunedin Blue Jays on Monday night at McKechnie Field. The game was delayed at the start for 86 minutes by rain.

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Dunedin plated the first run of the game on a first inning passed ball. Robby Rowland (L, 3-10) struck out a pair to end the inning after the run scored. The Blue Jays struck again in the third for a single run, then chased Rowland with four runs in the fifth inning. Jon Berti hit his second homer of the season to start the fifth inning rally. Dunedin’s first five hitters all had multi-hit games, totaling 11 of the Blue Jays 12 knocks on the night.

The Marauders got a big offensive game from Willy Garcia. Garcia went 3-for-4 with a double. He drove in a run in the second inning to trim the Blue Jays lead to 2-1. Trailing 6-1 in the sixth, he singled with two outs and scored on a double by Dan Gamache. He drove in a run in the eighth against Tyler Ybarra with a single in the eighth inning. The Marauders last run came on a solo home run by Jose Osuna, his fifth, in the bottom of the ninth off Ajay Meyer.

Austin Bibens-Dirkx (W, 8-3) pitched seven innings and struck out nine to earn the win. Ybarra and Meyer each struck out the side in their inning of work. Meyer earned his sixth save. Ybarra has surrendered just 22 hits and 10 earned runs this season. Six of the hits and three of the runs have come in his games against Bradenton.

Joan Montero pitched 3 1/3 scoreless innings and struck out three. Emannuel De Leon pitched 1 1/3 and also struck out three Blue Jays.

Game two of the series is Tuesday night at McKechnie Field at 6:30 p.m. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. Adrian Sampson will be on the mound for the Marauders.

Box: http://bradenton.marauders.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?gid=2013_07_29_dunafa_braafa_1&t=g_box&did=milb&sid=t3390