Crawford, Leiter Shine as Claws Sweep Doubleheader
August 19, 2013 - South Atlantic League (SAL1) - Jersey Shore BlueClaws News Release
SALISBURY, MD - The Lakewood BlueClaws (23-34/49-75) rode a big inning in game one and great pitching in game two to sweep the Delmarva Shorebirds (21-36/51-73), 7-4, 5-0, in a doubleheader Monday night at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium. The two wins stretch the BlueClaws winning streak to three in a row, the longest such streak since July 28th-30th.
Game One Recap: The Lakewood BlueClaws (22-34/48-75) used a six-run fifth to down the Delmarva Shorebirds (21-35/51-72) 7-4 in game one of a doubleheader Monday night at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.
The BlueClaws entered the fifth down 2-1, but with the starter dismissed, they took advantage of the fresh arm, David Richardson and took the lead for good. J.P. Crawford had been retired on two pitches combined over his first two at-bats, but worked a walk to begin the inning and reached for the first time in his Lakewood debut.
Willie Carmona followed and ripped a double to right that Crawford scored all the way from first on, with ease, and tied the game at two. Next was Art Charles and he mirrored Carmona and doubled home the go-ahead run.
The inning continued to go in favor of the Claws as the next two reached, and were in scoring position with one out for Angelo Mora. The second baseman poked one into center and plated the pair to make it 5-2.
Richardson (0-1) continued to get hit hard and was touched up for a triple off the bat of Zach Taylor that brought home Mora and Brian Pointer capped off the six-run inning, and Richardson's outing, with an RBI single that made it 7-2.
Miguel Nunez liked what his offense gave him and went out in the fifth and had himself a shutdown inning in his final inning of the night. The big righty induced a foul pop out to third, a groundout to the catcher, and a pop out to short to end his night.
He went the five innings and allowed two runs on five hits, no walks, and seven strikeouts, which tied a career-high.
Geoff Broussard took over in the sixth and the Shorebirds were very happy to see him. Nik Balog led off the inning with a single and moved to third on a fielder's choice that Broussard threw into center.
With runners on the corners and nobody out, Sawyer hit a double to make it 7-3. Two batters later, Torsten Boss hit a sacrifice fly to left that pulled the Birds to within three at 7-4.
Chris Burgess was called upon to close out game one in the seventh and did just that. The righty struck out the first man he faced, but hit Gregory Lorenzo to move the tying run into the on-deck circle. Anthony Caronia grounded into a 6-4 fielder's choice, and Lucas Herbst reached on a single, before Balog grounded out to short to end the game.
Lakewood began the game quietly and Juan Guzman kept them off the board in the first. It was in the second where the Claws jumped out in front with a run. Larry Greene, Jr. began the rally with a one-out single. Mora flied out to center, but Taylor and Chace Numata hit back-to-back singles to load the bases. With Pointer at the plate, Guzman threw a wild pitch that allowed Greene, Jr. to score and put the Claws up 1-0.
Nunez (10-8) cruised through the first three frames and had allowed just three hits and struck out five hitters, before he ran into trouble in the fourth. Nik Balog led off the inning with a single and Wynston Sawyer followed with a line drive he hooked over the wall in left for a two run homer and put the Birds up 2-1.
Deborah Heart and Lung Center Player of the Game: Willie Carmona (LWD): 3-4, 2B, RBI, R
Game Two Recap: The Lakewood BlueClaws (23-34/49-75) stayed hot and picked up their second win of the day, and third in a row over the Delmarva Shorebirds (21-36/51-73) 5-0 in game two of a doubleheader Monday night at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.
The second tilt of the doubleheader began as quite the pitcher's duel. Mark Leiter, Jr. took the mound for the first time in his Sally League career and did not disappoint. The Toms River North High School alum walked the first man he faced, but went on to retire the next 11 men he faced before a two out double by Nik Balog broke up the streak.
On the other side of the bump, it was Luc Rennie (3-5) that took the hill for the Shorebirds that was very good through the first three innings. In the fourth, Art Charles led off with a double and came around to score on a one-out two-bagger by Larry Greene, Jr. and the BlueClaws had the 1-0 lead.
The lead doubled in the same frame when Greene, Jr. scored from second on a strike out, passed ball, and throwing error by the catcher Steel Russell and the BlueClaws held the 2-0 lead.
Leiter, Jr. (1-0) continued his outing through five innings before it came to an end. The righty went the first five in scoreless fashion and allowed just three baserunners on two hits and a walk, and struck out four in his debut with the BlueClaws.
Lino Martinez was the first out of the bullpen for Lakewood and pitched in the sixth. Anthony Caronia reached on a one out bunt single, but Martinez regrouped and retired the next two in order to escape without a run scoring.
The Claws added a pair of runs in the seventh and double their lead to 4-0. Gabriel Lino led off the inning with a triple and with one out the catcher scored on an RBI single off the bat of Angelo Mora, which made it 3-0.
The newest BlueClaw J.P. Crawford was next and went the other way for an RBI single to left and made it 4-0. The scoring was capped off in the inning by a Charles RBI single that plated Crawford, and upped the lead to 5-0.
Delvi Francisco came on as the third pitcher of the second game and for Lakewood and locked down the game with a scoreless ninth.
Deborah Heart and Lung Center Player of the Game: Mark Leiter, Jr. (LWD): W, 5IP, 0R, 2H, 1BB, 4K
The BlueClaws will return home and open up a six-game homestand with the first of a three game series against the Hagerstown Suns, Tuesday night at 7:05 pm from FirstEnergy Park. Two-time Cy Young Award winner and Phillies right-handed pitcher Roy Halladay will continue his Major League rehabilitation assignment with the BlueClaws Tuesday and will square off against LHP Kylin Turnbull (6-5, 3.95). Tickets are available for Tuesday and all remaining BlueClaws home games by calling 732-901-7000 option 2 or by visiting BlueClaws.com.
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South Atlantic League Stories from August 19, 2013
- Legends Take on First-Place Augusta as Homestand Opens Tuesday - Lexington Legends
- Shorebirds Swept in Doubleheader by BlueClaws - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Crawford, Leiter Shine as Claws Sweep Doubleheader - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- RiverDogs Come up Short, Drop Third Straight - Charleston RiverDogs
- Legends Defeat Drive, 5-1 - Greenville Drive
- Five Run Fifth Sends Rome to Victory - Rome Emperors
- Legends Take 5-1 Win over Greenville - Lexington Legends
- Seventh Straight Win Completes Sweep - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Hickory Tops Power in Homestand Finale - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Intimidators vs. Grasshoppers - Game Notes - August 19, 2013 - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Williams Named SAL Player of the Week - Hickory Crawdads
- Parker Bridwell Named SAL Pitcher of the Week - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Weekly Sports League and Franchise Report - OSC Original by Dan Krieger
- Gnats Split Doubleheader with Jackets - Savannah Sand Gnats
- Intimidators announce 2014 schedule - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- RiverDogs Preview Homestand - Charleston RiverDogs
- Power vs. Crawdads - Game Notes - August 19, 2013 - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Shorebirds' Doubleheader Tonight at 6:05 PM - Delmarva Shorebirds
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