Rats' Bullpen Unable to Clinch Victory

SANFORD, Fla. - The Sanford River Rats received a dominant start from Gabriel Vargas and carried a lead into the late innings, but the Orlando Snappers rallied with a four-run eighth inning to hand Sanford a 6-4 defeat.

Sanford broke through in the third inning when AJ Seymour scored on a throwing error by the first baseman after Jordan Marlo reached on an infield single, giving the River Rats a 1-0 lead.

The River Rats added another run in the fifth. After Sean Stafford reached base and moved into scoring position, Zach Walker lined an RBI single up the middle to extend Sanford's advantage to 2-0.

Vargas was outstanding in his start, tossing six scoreless innings while striking out eight. The right-hander kept Orlando off the scoreboard throughout his outing and left in line for the victory.

The Snappers finally broke through in the seventh. Gavin Gonzalez doubled to right-center to score Logan Chalk before Bo Jonas followed with another RBI double to tie the game at 2-2.

Sanford answered immediately in the top of the eighth when Seymour crushed a solo home run to left field, putting the River Rats back in front, 3-2.

Orlando responded with the game's decisive rally in the bottom half of the inning. Danny Garcia delivered a two-run single to give the Snappers the lead, while a Sanford fielding error allowed another run to score. Ty Kennedy followed with a two-run single to cap the four-run inning, stretching Orlando's lead to 6-3.

The River Rats scratched across a run in the ninth on Braeden Weckman's sacrifice fly that scored Caleb Scott, but Sanford could get no closer.

The loss kept the River Rats in last place entering the final week of the regular season.

Sanford returns to action Monday against the DeLand Suns. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Alejandro Landers (Elon University)