BRADENTON — The venerable downtown ballpark that has played host to everyone from World Series heroes to first-ballot Hall of Famers got a taste of the postseason Tuesday night.
It was 7:01 p.m. when Aaron Pribanic spun and delivered a first-pitch strike, signaling the start of the Bradenton Marauders’ first-ever playoff game.
A high Single-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Bradenton hosted the Charlotte Stone Crabs — an affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays — in Game 1 of the Florida State League’s South Division Championship Series at McKechnie Field.
McKechnie, the Pirates’ spring home, typically sat empty every year around this time, minus any semblance of a tenant once the Pittsburgh Pirates headed north every April.
Not any more. The Marauders arrived here with a flourish, winning 76 games and clinching the division’s second-half title and clinching a playoff berth despite a litany of injuries to All-Stars such as Tony Sanchez, Jeremy Farrell and Brock Holt.
You could sense the excitement in the voice of Marauders general manager Dan Wolfert.
“It doesn’t get any better than this,” Wolfert said. “They deserve this — I’m really happy for the players.”
Tuesday’s crowd wasn’t large — the announced attendance was 681 — but it was loud. And a number of Stone Crabs fans, many clad in Rays garb, made the trip from Charlotte, turning the first inning into a cheer-off.
“They’re loud,” Wolfert said of the fans. “They like to cheer. These are the fans who really love their baseball.”
As for the game, the Marauders beat the Stone Crabs 5-0 to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series.
Game 2 is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. today at Charlotte Sports Park. Game 3, if necessary, will be played in Charlotte County, as well.
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