Joe, Newman team up to lift Bradenton Marauders over Fort Myers Miracle

BRADENTON -- Similar scenario, similar result.

And, perhaps, the way the Pittsburgh Pirates envision the development of Connor Joe and Kevin Newman as they progress through the organization.

A little more than seven months after Joe singled in Newman for his first career walk-off RBI in the 10th inning of a South Atlantic League game while with the West Virginia Power, the 39th player selected in the 2014 draft and the Pirates' first-round selection in June came through again, leading Bradenton to a 4-3 victory against Fort Myers in 10 innings Sunday.

While Sunday's win was not as significant as the victory that enabled West Virginia to tie a franchise record for wins, it may jump start Joe and a lineup that struggled until late Sunday.

Newman, the only Marauder in Sunday's lineup who hit safely in each of the team's first three games, hit a long fly ball to right field that was misplayed by Chad Christensen, leaving Newman at second. He advanced to third on Kevin Kramer's second hit of the afternoon

and scored on Joe's single to right.

The win gave the Marauders a split of the four-game series.

"Every pitch, I was ready for him to do it," Newman said of Joe. "I knew he was going to do it. We had the same situation in low (Class)-A ball, and he hit me in with a walk-off, so I knew he was going to. He crushed that ball (a pitch from Miracle reliever Trevor Hildenberger), and I knew there wasn't even going to be a play at the plate."

Before the game-winning hit, Joe had one hit in his first 16 at-bats. However, he wasn't the only Marauder player struggling. Bradenton entered the game hitting .177. It didn't fare any better against Fort Myers starter Keaton Steele, who had a no-hitter through 5 2/3 innings. Newman broke it up with a single to center. Kramer, the next batter, drove in Newman with a double to cut Bradenton's deficit to 2-1.

Christensen gave Fort Myers a 3-1 lead in the top of the seventh when he took a bases-loaded walk from Maruaders reliever Sam Street.

Bradenton responded in the bottom half when Southeast High graduate Michael Suchy broke a 0-for-14 skid with a single that put runners at the corners and Elvis Escobar's RBI ground out. Bradenton manager Michael Ryan was ejected demonstrated arguing the out call on Escobar at first base.

"I thought it was a close play and one that could have changed the outcome of the game," said Ryan. "Sometimes, a manager will get thrown out to give a spark to the club. Especially when things aren't going our way."

Hildenberger entered the game in the bottom of the ninth looking to preserve a 3-2 lead and earn his second save. However, Simpson belted a one-out triple to right-center field and scored on a errant relay throw.

"We were never going to panic," Ryan said. "This is a good team, I will tell you that right now. They know how to play baseball and they do things the right way. There's no panic after three games and there's no panic after four games. We're still in April and we have to go all the way to September. A lot of baseball left, and these guys know how to play baseball. It should work well for them."

This story was originally published April 10, 2016 at 10:34 PM with the headline "Joe, Newman team up to lift Bradenton Marauders over Fort Myers Miracle ."