Bradenton 9, Daytona 2

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BRADENTON – The Marauders (23-25) scored five runs in the first and never looked back in a 9-2 win over the Daytona Cubs (16-29) on Friday night at McKechnie Field. Chad Kuhl (W, 4-4) pitched into the seventh for a second straight outing, surrendering just one earned run on four hits and striking out two.

Daytona plated an unearned run to take a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, but the Marauders picked up a crooked number in the home half. Daytona starter Ben Wells (L, 2-4) walked Adam Frazier to start the inning. Max Moroff’s bunt single was followed by consecutive walks to Jonathan Schwind and Josh Bell, with the latter forcing in a run. Bradenton took the lead for good when Eric Wood was hit by a pitch to bring home Moroff. Jin-De Jhang drove in a run with a ground out before a wild pitch plated Bell with the fourth run of the inning. An error allowed Taylor Lewis to reach and the final run of the inning to score. Wells was lifted with two outs in the inning and the Marauders held a 5-1 lead until the sixth.

Moroff doubled home Adam Frazier and then scored on Josh Bell’s base hit in the sixth to extend the lead to 7-1. Daytona notched its final run in the seventh, but the Marauders answered in the home half of the inning. Raul Fortunato blasted his first home run of the season, a two-run shot to establish the final margin.

Andy Otamendi pitched two thirds of an inning for the Marauders. Ryan Hafner finished the game by facing the minimum over the final two innings.

The Marauders travel to Charlotte Sports Park on Saturday night to face the Stone Crabs at 6:00. John Kuchno will be on the mound for the Marauders.

The box score for Tuesday's game can be seen here; the Play-by-Play review can be viewed here.