Dunedin 5, Bradenton 3

DUNEDIN – The Bradenton Marauders (49-42) came up short on a pair of bids to tie Saturday’s game before falling 5-3 to the Dunedin Blue Jays at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium.

Trailing 4-3 in the sixth inning, C Taylor Gushue was thrown out at home trying to score from first on 3B Connor Joe’s two-out double. Bradenton loaded the bases in the seventh with one out, but Adonys Cardona struck out 2B Kevin Kramer and induced DH Chase Simpson’s ground out to help the Blue Jays salvage the finale of the four-game series.

RHP Yeudy Garcia (4-6) battled wildness, especially in the sixth inning when he walked four batters in a row with one out.

The fourth walk pushed in a run to break a 2-2 tie. Garcia then unleashed a wild pitch to put Dunedin up 4-2.

Richard Urena launched a two-run home run off Garcia in the first inning to open the scoring. Bradenton battled back to tie the game with a solo home run by RF Michael Suchy in the third inning and a sacrifice fly by Joe in the fourth. Dunedin starter Conor Fisk (W, 5-2) surrendered another run in the fifth, but the Marauders could never get even despite out-hitting the Blue Jays 10-5.

The Marauders took three of four in the series to clinch the season series against a third North Division foe. The Marauders have won the season set against Lakeland, Brevard County, and now the Blue Jays.