Balanced Attack Gives BlueClaws Fifth Straight Win as Claws Topple Rome

August 17, 2018 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Jersey Shore BlueClaws News Release

LAKEWOOD, NJ - Six BlueClaws had two hits and Rodolfo Duran hit his 17th home run of the year as the BlueClaws topped Rome 7-2 to complete a three-game sweep of the Braves and win their fifth straight game.

Lakewood (37-16/78-44) improved to 34-games over .500 for the first time in franchise history. They need to go just 6-10 over their last 16 games to match the 2006 and 2010 teams with 84 wins, most in team history. Rome falls to 23-29/63-58 as the BlueClaws win the season series 4-2.

Trailing 1-0, the BlueClaws tied the game in the second inning on a home run by Rodolfo Duran. It was Duran's second straight game with a home run and his team-leading 17th of the season. The reigning SAL Player of the Week has six home runs since August 9th.

Lakewood added three more to take a 4-1 lead, getting SAC flies from Matt Vierling and Josh Stephen and an RBI single from Simon Muzziotti.

The BlueClaws added runs in the next three innings on a Nick Maton SAC fly, Rodolfo Duran single, and Jake Scheiner single to go up 7-1.

Meanwhile, Lakewood starter Andrew Brown gave up just one run over seven innings, matching his longest outing of the season. He earned the win to improve to 5-2 on the year. Connor Brogdonfollowed Brown and gave up one run over two innings in relief.

Braves starter Odalvi Javier (3-9) gave up five runs over 2.2 innings to take the loss.

Dalton Gutrie, Simon Muzziotti, Jake Scheiner, Rodolfo Duran, and Jailyn Ortiz, the 1-2-3-4-5 hitters in the lineup, had two hits, as did Madison Stokes.

The BlueClaws open a four-game series with the Lexington Legends on Saturday night at 7:05 pm. RHP Julian Garcia (5-2) starts for Lakewood.

South Atlantic League Stories from August 17, 2018

• Suns Fall in Series Finale 15-3 on Friday - Hagerstown Suns
• Drive Defeat Grasshoppers to Complete Series Sweep - Greenville Drive
• Encarnacion's Jolt Powers 'Birds Late - Delmarva Shorebirds
• Dogs Cough up Late Lead, Spoiling Mauricio's Six Shutout and a Series Sweep - Charleston RiverDogs
• Moberg, Bouchard Go Deep in T's Victory - Asheville Tourists
• Legends Triumphant In 15-3 Victory In Hagerstown - Lexington Legends
• Balanced Attack Gives BlueClaws Fifth Straight Win as Claws Topple Rome - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
• Strong Performances from Ziegler, Parra, Geraldo Not Enough - Augusta GreenJackets
• Friday's Finale in Charleston Cancelled Due to Rain - Columbia Fireflies
• Friday's Series Finale against Columbia Cancelled - Charleston Dirty Birds
• Fireflies Game Notes: August 17 at West Virginia (Game 119) - Columbia Fireflies
• West Virginia Power: Game Notes (august 17) - Charleston Dirty Birds
• Preview: Hoppers Hope to Stop Slide at Drive - Greensboro Grasshoppers
• Newman Debuts with Pirates Thursday at PNC Park - Charleston Dirty Birds
• Hickory Crawdads Weekly Recap - Hickory Crawdads

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