After an extensive preseason schedule, the Mariners showed it readied them for conference play versus Contra Costa on Tuesday. Marcus Chiu mashed another home run while Chrit Rudkin shut down the Comets in 7.1 strong innings in route to a 7-2 victory. The game was knotted at a run a piece until the sixth inning when the Mariners took the lead for good.
Marin took the lead just two batters into the game as Marcus Chiu connected with one out in the top of the first for his seventh home run of the year and sixth in his last seven games. Chrit Rudkin took the hill in the bottom half with a 1-0 advantage and was challenged early as the leadoff hitter walked and advanced to third on a pair of wild pitches with nobody out. Rudkin focused and struck out the next two batters before getting a fly out to end the inning.
After College of Marin failed to score in the top half of the second, Contra Costa tied the game in the bottom half with a walk, fielder's choice and an RBI double. Rudkin settled down and proceeded to retire 12 of 13 batters from the third through sixth innings. Marin gave him back the lead in the top of the sixth as Alex Davis doubled with two outs and scored on an RBI single by Jason Rodriguez.
Marin added to their 2-1 lead in the seventh as they scored twice more. Chiu led off with a single before Jakob Davidson reached on an error to put runners at the corners with one out. Adam Hussain followed with an RBI double and Jake Munoz added a sacrifice fly to push the Mariners' advantage to 4-1.
Contra Costa rallied in the bottom of the eighth inning as they put runners on second and third with one out. An RBI single scored one and put the tying run at first base. Bret Bowyer relieved Rudkin and induced a double play to end the inning.
The Mariners added on in the top of the ninth with a two out rally. MacLean Meyn reached an error with two away before Hussain walked. Jake Munoz reached on an error that scored one. Alex Davis followed with a ball to third that was thrown away allowing another two runs to come home.
With a 7-2 lead, Bowyer struck out the side in the bottom of the ninth for the save and a Mariners win.
Rudkin got the win as he yielded two runs and five hits and struck out five in 7.1 innings on the mound. Boywer notched the save with 1.2 innings and three strikeouts. At the plate Chiu was three for five with a home run and two runs scored.
Marin has a day of rest before hosting Contra Costa at Kentfield on Thursday, March 16th at 2:30PM.