Bradenton 5, Fort Myers 3 (11 Innings)

FORT MYERS – The Marauders (36-24, 68-62) shook off a long rain delay and multiple Miracle (33-29, 71-61) comebacks to secure a 5-3 win in 11 innings at Hammond Stadium Friday night. SS Chris Diaz capped a 3-for-4, three RBI game with a two-run triple in the 11th off Brian Gilbert (L, 4-4). RHP Montana DuRapau (W, 4-1) suffered his first blown save in the 10th, but recovered to earn the win in the early minutes of Saturday morning.

RHP Tyler Eppler’s scoreless innings streak came to an end at 20 2/3 innings when Fort Myers plated an unearned run in the second inning to take a 1-0 lead. Eppler settled in for another stellar start, hurling seven innings and striking out four without a walk. He scattered six hits and did not allow another run.

Diaz evened the game 1-1 in the third with a one-out single to center that scored 2B Trace Tam Sing. The Marauders went up 2-1 in the fifth when Diaz singled, stole second, and raced home on a base hit by LF Justin Maffei.

Fort Myers tied the game 2-2 against RHP Dovydas Neverauskas in the eighth, but a double play grounder from Mitch Garver stranded the go-ahead run in scoring position. The Miracle loaded the bases
in the ninth with two outs against RHP Henry Hirsch, but Zach Granite grounded to third to end the threat.

In the 10th, the teams traded runs. Maffei doubled with one out and scored when CF Austin Meadows’ grounder to second was misplayed. DuRapau walked the leadoff batter in the home half of the inning and paid for it when Logan Wade dropped his fourth hit into shallow right with two outs to tie the game 3-3.

The Marauders remain five games behind South Division leading Palm Beach.

The game began at 8:41 p.m. after a 96 minute delay under cloudy skies, 77 degrees, and wind blowing 8 mph from right to left. Tyler Eppler has completed seven innings in three consecutive starts and has not allowed an earned run in his last four starts. Bradenton is now 9-8 in extra innings this season and 2-2 against Fort Myers in extra frames.

The Marauders play game three of the three game series at Hammond Stadium against the Miracle at 6:05 p.m. RHP Luis Heredia will start for Bradenton and be opposed on the hill by LHP Stephen Gonsalves. Live streaming audio will be available online at www.BradentonMarauders.com and on the TuneIn App.