Daytona takes series lead by turning tables on Marauders
BRADENTON, Fla—Yerlin Confidan threw out the winning run at the plate in the ninth, then keyed a five-run rally in the 11th as the Daytona Tortugas outlasted the Bradenton Marauders in an 8-4, 11-inning victory on Thursday night at LECOM Park.
Daytona (6-6) shook off Wednesday’s 12-inning defeat to win their first extra-innings affair in four tries this season, while Bradenton (2-10) left 15 runners in defeat, including the bases loaded in each of the final two frames.
Daytona got started on the right foot in the first inning. Johnny Ascanio, the first batter of the game, led off by lining a 2-1 fastball from Bradenton starter Antwon Kelly 357 feet into the right field bullpen for a solo home run. His second round-tripper of the season put the Tortugas up immediately, 1-0.
On the mound, Daytona starter Gabriel Aguilera issued a walk in each of his first two innings, but neither scored. In the third, though, a leadoff error put a runner at second with no outs. Two batters later, Andre Alvarez pulled a double down the third-base line to tie the game at one.
Daytona quickly jumped back in front in the fourth, though. Ricardo Cabrera led off with his second hit of the night. Two batters later, Ariel Almonte roped a 113.7-mph liner over the right-field fence for a two-run homer, his second of the season, to put Daytona back in front 3-1.
Aguilera worked around a one-out single to throw a scoreless fourth, ending his night after 4.0 innings, in which he allowed two hits, just one unearned run, two walks, and notching six strikeouts in a no-decision.
Jose Montero entered in the fifth and allowed a one-out walk to Jesus Castillo, who stole second. With two outs, Omar Alfonso lined a base hit to left that drew the Marauders within a run. An inning later, a somewhat similar script played out as Jauri Custodio singled with two outs, stole second, then scored on a Juan Jerez RBI single to tie the game at three apiece.
Neither team seriously threatened over the seventh and eighth innings, but the ninth was a different story. Cabrera led off the ninth with a double to left and moved to third on a groundout. However, Garrett McMillan stranded him there to end the inning.
In the bottom of the ninth against Cody Adcock, the Marauders made their push as a walk and single, both with two outs, put the winning run at second. Omar Alfonzo ripped a single to left, but Confidan came up firing with a strike to the plate to cut down Castillo easily to send the game to extras.
In the tenth, a Confidan single put runners on the corners with no outs, but on a flyball to center, Shalin Polanco threw out Connor Burns on a bang-bang play. Daytona wound up getting another runner to third on an error, but a groundout ended the inning to keep the score 3-3.
In Bradenton’s half of the tenth, Adcock pulled another Houdini act. After a leadoff strikeout, an intentional walk and hit batter loaded the bases with one out. Custodio, though, bounced into a fielder’s choice for the out at home, and Adcock struck out Juan Jerez looking to end the inning.
The fateful rally finally came in the 11th against Bradenton reliever Tyler Kennedy. Ascanio led off with an infield single to move the runner to third. After a strikeout, Yassel Pino broke the deadlock with a sacrifice fly to left. The rally was just starting, though, as a walk and wild pitch put two men in scoring position for Burns, who singled to right to bring in a run. Confidan followed and roped the first pitch he saw into left-center, splitting the gap for a two-run triple to break the game open. Confidan then came home on a wild pitch for the fifth run of the frame.
Bradenton, though, made one last push. Adcock walked the leadoff man, then retired the next two batters. P.J. Hilson, then singled in a run. Adcock’s command then wavered as he walked the next two to load the bases, bringing the tying run to the plate. However, Polanco popped up to third, ending the game with an 8-4 victory.
The Tortugas will play game four against the Bradenton Marauders from LECOM Park in Bradenton on Friday evening. Daytona will throw LHP Adam Serwinowski (0-0, 0.00) while Bradenton will counter with RHP Carlson Reed (0-0, 2.57). First pitch tomorrow night is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. with pregame coverage on the Tortugas Radio network with Brennan Mense beginning at 6:15 p.m.
