Bradenton Marauders �6, �Clearwater Threshers �3 (box)
3B Jeremy Farrell led the attack with a 4-for-5 night as the Marauders out-hit the Threshers 13-7. �Bradenton got onto the scoreboard first with a run in the top of the 3rd. �SS Brock Holt slipped a one-out single into left field, then advanced to second base on a throwing error when the Clearwater pitcher tried to pick him off first. �A ground out pushed Farrell to third, and he scored on 2B James Skelton’s double into center.
Clearwater came right back with 3 runs in the bottom of the inning. �Casey Erickson, making his first start of the season, had allowed 2 singles in the top of the 1st, then retired the Threshers in order in the 2nd. �In the 3rd, the first five Thresher batters reached base safely: �a fielding error by Farrell at third, a single, a hit batter, a 2-RBI single, and another RBI single. �Erickson settled down to finish the inning with two strikeouts and a pop out, but Clearwater had taken a 3-1 lead.
Farrell made up for his error by leading off the top of the 4th with a single. �The next five Bradenton batters also reached base, surpassing Clearwater’s performance in the previous inning: �A single by DH Eric Fryer, an RBI double by 1B Calvin Anderson, an RBI single by CF Austin McClune, and then RF Anthony Norman was hit by a pitch. �Then Brock Holt reached on a fielder’s choice, and Anderson scored. �A grounder to second by LF Robbie Grossman forced Holt out at second, but allowed McClune to score. �Another ground out at second off the batt of James Skelton brought in Norman with the 5th run of the inning. �C Tony Sanchez walked, chasing the Clearwater starter from the game. �A new pitcher got Farrell to ground out, ending the inning with the Marauders on top, 6-3.
The Marauders loaded the bases in the 7th inning, on another single by Farrell, a single by Fryer, and a walk to Norman, but they couldn’t get another run across the plate. �Both Sanchez and Farrell singled in the 8th inning, but were again left on base.
The bullpen finished things off for the Marauders with a total of 6 scoreless innings. �Mike Felix pitched a perfect 4th inning in relief of Erickson. �Hunter Strickland gave up only one single over his 3 innings of work, and he was credited with the win. �Diego Moreno gave up a walk and a single in the 8th, but still kept the Threshers scoreless. �Noah Krol earned his 10th save of the season by retiring the side in order in the 9th.
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West Virginia Power �4, �Lakewood Blue Claws �3 (box)
CF David Rubinstein’s 2-RBI single in the top of the 9th put the Power on top of the Blue Claws on Thursday night. �The Power were trailing 3-2 going into the 9th inning. �3B Elevys Gonzalez got the rally started with a single into right field. �2B Jarek Cunningham was hit by a pitch, and 1B Aaron Baker successfully sacrifice bunted the two runners up a base, to second and third. �After a strikeout, Rubinstein lifted a single into right field, and both Gonzalez and Cunningham scored. �Rubinstein stole second base, but the inning ended when he was out trying to take third. �The two runs were all the Power needed, though. �Duke Welker came out of the bullpen to get a strikeout, a ground out, and another strikeout to end the game and earn his first save of the season.
Most of the scoring had come early in the game. �The Power picked up one run in the 3rd on a double by RF Jose Hernandez, a sacrifice bunt by SS Benji Gonzalez, and an RBI single by C Josue Peley. LF Rogelios Noris blasted his 6th homer of the season to give the Power a second run in the 4th.
Melkin Laureano went 5 innings in his start for the Power. �He retired Lakewood in order in the first two innings, then got out of a jam in the 3rd — a double, a single, and a wild pitch put runners on second and third with no outs, but Laureano got a short fly out and two strikeouts to end the inning. �He couldn’t get out of trouble in the 3rd, when three singles, a walk, and two wild pitches allowed Lakewood to score twice. �A walk, a hit batter, a ground out, and a sacrifice fly gave the Blue Claws another run in the 4th, before Laureano again retired the side in the 5th.
Gabriel Alvarado earned his first win of the season with 3 innings of relief. �He faced only one batter over the minimum, giving up a walk in the 8th. �That set up the 9th inning, and the win for the Power. �Alvarado was the pitcher of record when the winning run was scored.
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