Marauders Split Doubleheader vs. Cards; Lose in Opener with Jays

BRADENTON -- The Marauders (11-18) split a doubleheader with the Palm Beach Cardinals (14-15) on Saturday night at Roger Dean Stadium. Bradenton dumped the Cardinals 7-3 in game one, but the Cardinals stormed back to snap their six game losing streak with an 8-2 win in game two.

photo by secondshotphoto.com

The Marauders pounded out 12 hits in the first game. Willy Garcia opened the scoring with a two-run home run off Kyle Hald (L, 1-1) in the second to snap a five-game homerless streak for Bradenton. Eight Marauders starters had at least one hit. Gregory Polanco went 2-for-4 with two doubles.

Robby Rowland (W, 2-0) pitched six innings to earn the win for the Marauders. He surrendered three runs on six hits and struck out two without issuing a walk. Quinton Miller pitched a scoreless seventh. 

Bradenton struck quickly in game two, plating two runs in the first against Scott Gorgen (W, 2-1). Gorgen proceeded to set down 14 Marauders in a row, and was the recipient of abundant run support.

Matt Benedict (L, 0-5) was tagged for five hits and four runs in the first inning as Palm Beach batted around. The Cardinals scored three more times in the third to chase Benedict, and added one run in the fifth for the final margin.

Benji Gonzalez had two of the Marauders four hits in game two. Dan Gamache smashed his sixth double of the season during the first inning rally.

photo by secondshotphoto.com

The Marauders were back in action Sunday, taking on Dunedin in the first of a four game road series at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium.

The club dropped a back-and-forth affair 6-5 to the Dunedin Blue Jays Sunday evening at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium. Zack Dodson made his season debut for the Marauders, pitching five innings and striking out four. Dodson allowed three earned runs and did not factor in the decision.

Bradenton tallied first, with Dan Gamache singling to lead off the second and later scoring on Taylor Lewis’ groundout. A Gamache error helped Dunedin answer in the home half of the inning to tie the score 1-1.

Alen Hanson singled off Dunedin starter Jesse Hernandez in the fifth, stole second and moved to third on an errant throw on the play. Gregory Polanco’s RBI-single gave Bradenton a 2-1 lead.

Dunedin plated three in the bottom of the fifth. Jon Talley returned to the Dunedin lineup after a stay on the disabled list, and the 2012 North Division All Star made a splash with a two run homer off Dodson to put Dunedin up 4-1.

Hernandez and Efrain Nieves walked the bases full of Marauders in the sixth, and Bradenton was able to tie the game on a two-RBI hit by Hanson. Polanco took Nieves deep for his third homer of the season leading off the seventh inning to give the Marauders the lead 5-4.

In the bottom of the eighth, Zac Fuesser begin his third inning on the hill by walking Talley. Zack Thornton (L, 2-1) entered, and was unable to hold the lead. With two on and one out, Peter Mooney’s RBI-single tied the game. Pierce Ranking, 4-for-36 on the season to that point, followed with a soft single that snuck into right field to give Dunedin the lead.

Scott Gracey pitched the eighth for Dunedin to earn his third win. Blake McFarland picked up his seventh save.

Polanco finished the night 3-for-5 and a triple shy of the cycle.

The second game of the series is Monday at 6:30 p.m. Adrian Sampson will be on the mound for Bradenton. The game will be broadcast live on www.BradentonMarauders.com.