Marauders Beat Hammerheads 6-4

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BRADENTON – Jordan Steranka’s three-run home run powered the Marauders (41-36, 6-2) over the Jupiter Hammerheads (28-49, 1-7), breaking a 3-3 tie in the seventh inning and sending Bradenton to a 6-4 win at McKechnie Field on Thursday night. The Marauders have beaten Jupiter eight straight times.

All but one run in the game came on a home run. Bradenton opened the scoring on a two-run homer by Taylor Lewis in the fourth inning off Trevor Williams. The bomb was the second of the season for Lewis.

Jupiter grabbed a rare 3-2 lead with a three-run home run in the fifth inning. Chad Kuhl issued consecutive one-out walks, and Josh Adams made Kuhl pay by blasting his first homer of the season.

Raul Fortunato and Adam Frazier singled consecutively to start the seventh against Miguel Fermin (L, 0-1). Max Moroff’s sacrifice bunt attempt led to a force out at third base, taking Fortunato off the base paths. Josh Bell flew out to right field for the second out of the inning, but Jose Osuna followed with a single to tie the game. Steranka belted the next pitch to right field to give the Marauders the lead for good.

Thomas Harlan (W, 3-2) pitched 2 1/3 innings to earn the win. Bryton Trepagnier (S, 1) allowed one run in the ninth while picking up his seventh save.  

Bell extended his hitting streak to 13 games with a base hit in the first. Frazier’s hitting streak is now 10.

The Marauders will try for a third straight sweep of Jupiter on Friday night. John Kuchno will start for Bradenton. The game begins at 6:30 p.m. with gates opening at 5:30 p.m.

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