Shorebirds Split Doubleheader with BlueClaws
April 26, 2017 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Delmarva Shorebirds News Release
SALISBURY, MD - In a doubleheader that took just over three hours to complete, the Delmarva Shorebirds split two games with the Lakewood BlueClaws, winning the first 2-1 and dropping the second 5-0 on Wednesday morning at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.
In Game 1, the Shorebirds (10-11) got a masterful performance from Alex Wells (2-1), who allowed one unearned run on two hits in six innings, walking none and striking out six. JoJo Romero (0-1) was on the short end for the BlueClaws (11-10), pitching a six-inning complete game and allowing just two runs (one earned) on two hits. Jake Bray picked up his second save in as many games, stranding the tying run in scoring position in the seventh to ice it.
Delmarva got a gift run in the bottom of the first inning. Ryan McKenna hit a groundball to short, but the throw from Jose Antequera sailed to the side wall, allowing McKenna to take second. After moving up on a flyout, McKenna scored on a Chris Clare RBI groundout to make it 1-0.
The Shorebirds padded the lead in the bottom of the third as rehabbing Oriole Joey Rickard singled, went to second on a wild pitch, and scored on a Clare line drive single to right.
Wells grabbed control of the game from the beginning, striking out the side in the first on 10 pitches in under two minutes. After giving up a base hit to Cord Sandberg in the second, he retired 11 in a row before Carlos Duran led off the sixth with an infield single.
Duran stole second base and advanced to third on a groundout. With two outs, Lucas Williams hit a groundball to short, but Irving Ortega rushed the throw, which ended up in the dugout. Duran scored and Williams stood on second, ending Wells' scoreless streak at 13.2 innings. He shook it off and got reigning No. 1 pick Mickey Moniak to fly out to left to secure the quality start.
Jake Bray entered for the seventh and promptly gave up a leadoff double to Brett Barbier. Staring extras in the face, Bray locked in and struck out the next three, fanning Edgar Cabral to end the game in a speedy 1:25 one minute shy of high noon.
Game 2 belonged to Lakewood starter Ranger Suarez (1-0), who hurled a two-hit shutout, walking none and striking out nine for his first win of the season. Lucas Humpal (0-2) took the loss after surrendering five runs on 10 hits in five innings.
The teams traded zeroes through the first three innings, then the BlueClaws got back-to-back two-out singles from Danny Zardon and Alex Wojciechowski to put men on first and third. David Martinelli followed with a blooper down the left field line that landed in a tight tringle of Gerrion Grim from left, Collin Woody from third, and Clare from short, bringing both runners across. Antequera followed with a single up the middle to bring home Martinelli and make it 3-0.
Lakewood added two more in the top of the fifth on three straight singles from Moniak, Henri Lartigue, and Sandberg, as well as a run-scoring fielder's choice from Zardon.
Five runs were more than enough for Suarez, who at one point retired 14 Shorebirds in a row, striking out the side in the third and fourth. The only baserunners for Delmarva in the game came on a Rickard single in the first and Grim double in the sixth. Suarez got Jake Ring to ground out to third in the bottom of the seventh, ending the game in a tight 1:44.
The Shorebirds managed just four hits in both games of the doubleheader and were shut out for the first time in Game 2. Clare's two RBIs in Game 1 give him 15 on the season, vaulting him into a tie for fourth in the SAL.
Joey Rickard went 2-for-6 with a run scored in his two rehab starts at the designated hitter position. In three games with the Shorebirds, he went 3-for-10 with two runs scored.
After only scraping together three hits in the first game, the BlueClaws pounded out 11 in the second. Moniak and Wojciechowski each had two hits and a run in Game 2, while Daniel Brito also had a two-hit game.
The two games took a total of 3:09 to play. Factoring in the 43 minutes between games, the doubleheader from start to finish took 3:52. The Shorebirds' longest game this season was 3:30 on April 8 in Greenville.
The Shorebirds now welcome the Charleston RiverDogs to Perdue Stadium for the only time this season. Delmarva opens its first series against a Southern Division opponent since Opening Day on Thursday night. Zach Muckenhirn (1-1, 2.14) gets things going for the Shorebirds in game one of four against Charleston's Brian Keller (2-1, 3.78). First pitch is 7:05 p.m. with gates opening one hour prior. Thursday is Maryland Pride Day at Perdue Stadium, and the Shorebirds will wear their Maryland flag-themed jerseys for the second time this year. It's also Kiss 95.9 Thirsy Thursday, featuring $2 16oz Miller Lites, Coors Lights, and Pepsi products. Pregame coverage on Fox Sports AM 960 and the MiLB First Pitch app begins at 6:50 p.m. with Will DeBoer on the call.
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