Baseball Game Preview: Mariner Tritons vs. Braden River Pirates

For the second straight game, Mariner will face off against Braden River. The Tritons will head out to challenge the Pirates at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday.

Mariner heads in on the heels of a playoff matchup on Wednesday. They fell just short of Braden River by a score of 8-7. That's two games in a row now that the Tritons have lost by just one run.

For Braden River's part, Rhys Klein made a splash no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, tossing four innings while giving up just two earned (and two unearned) runs off four hits. Klein was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with one triple, one run, and one RBI.

In other pitching news, Nicholas Beatrice looked comfortable as he pitched one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than one walk any time he's pitched this season.

Back at the plate, Denzel Diaz was excellent, getting on base in all four of his plate appearances with three runs. That's the most runs he has posted since back in March. Luke Duffy was another key player, going a perfect 1-for-1 with two RBI, one run, and one double.

The win was the fourth in a row for Braden River, bringing their record up to 15-10. They've had to fight for that success though, as they only beat their opponents by an average of 1.25 runs across that stretch. As for Mariner, their loss dropped their record down to 17-11.

Mariner's speedy runners might be the difference in Thursday's contest. The Tritons have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 2.7 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Braden River, though, as they've been averaging only 1.3 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Mariner continue to outrun the ball? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.