'Birds Blanked in Rome Again
August 9, 2018 - South Atlantic League (SAL) - Delmarva Shorebirds News Release
ROME, GA - The Delmarva Shorebirds couldn't string enough hits together in a 5-0 loss to the Rome Braves on Thursday night at State Mutual Stadium.
Keith Weisenberg (1-2) anchored the second straight shutout win for the Braves (21-24, 61-53), scattering four hits over 5.1 scoreless innings while walking two and fanning seven. DL Hall (2-7) endured the loss for the Shorebirds (22-23, 57-55), surrendering four runs (two earned) on six hits in five innings, walking one and striking out four.
After Hall made short order of the Braves in the first two innings, Rome got to the native Georgian in the bottom of the third. Marcos Almonte reached on a one-out error at second, and Alan Crowley poked a single into center. Justin Dean walked to load the bases, and AJ Graffanino dropped a soft liner into left, scoring Almonte to break up the scoreless deadlock. Jefrey Ramos followed with a grounder to third base; Trevor Craport slung home for the force, but Jean Carrillo's throw to first base struck Ramos in the back of the neck and ended up behind the bag. Both Dean and Graffanino scored to make it 3-0 Braves.
Dean tripled with one out in the fifth and scored on another Graffanino single to make it 4-0, and Brendan Venter's RBI double in the eighth gave the game its final margin.
Delmarva got multiple men on base in the first, fifth, and eighth innings to no avail. The Shorebirds' best chance came with the bases loaded and two out in the fifth, but Weisenberg struck out Zach Jarrett to end the threat. Troy Bacon and Zach Daniels combined for 3.2 innings in relief to complete the clean sheet.
Seamus Curran and Jean Carlos Encarnacion each had two hits for the Shorebirds, who batted just 1-for-12 with men in scoring position and left 10 on base. The shutout loss was the Shorebirds' 10th of the second half.
Graffanino led the Braves with a two-hit, two-RBI night, while Greyson Jenista went 2-for-4 with a run and Dean scored twice.
The Shorebirds now head to Columbia for a four-game series against the Fireflies beginning on Friday night. Luis Perez (2-2, 2.02) takes his turn for Delmarva against Columbia's Yeizo Campos (1-3, 3.33). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m., and pregame coverage on Fox Sports 960 AM and the MiLB First Pitch App begins at 6:50 with Will DeBoer on the call.
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South Atlantic League Stories from August 9, 2018
- Lexington Drops Game Three To Asheville, But Take Series Over Tourists - Lexington Legends
- Drive Cruise to Series Victory over Fireflies on Thursday - Greenville Drive
- Renteria Strikes out a Career-High Nine Batters Thursday Night - Columbia Fireflies
- West Virginia Claims Series Behind Twin Bill Sweep of Greensboro - West Virginia Power
- 'Birds Blanked in Rome Again - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Marcelino's Three Hits Pace Offense in Win - Asheville Tourists
- 'Dads Complete 4 Game Sweep of Kannapolis - Hickory Crawdads
- Crawdads Complete Four-Game Sweep of Intimidators with Double Header Win - Kannapolis Intimidators
- RiverDogs Shut out by BlueClaws in Rain-Shortened Rubber Match - Charleston RiverDogs
- Solid Start for Weisenberg, Rome wins 5-0 - Rome Braves
- Stewart, Claws Blank Charleston 3-0 in Rain-Shortened Series Finale - Lakewood BlueClaws
- Fireflies Game Notes: August 9 vs. Greenville (Game 112) - Columbia Fireflies
- RiverDogs Host Ballpark Festival of Beers Saturday, August 18 - Charleston RiverDogs
- West Virginia Power: Game Notes (august 9) - West Virginia Power
- Error Sinks 'Birds in Another Shutout - Delmarva Shorebirds
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