'Birds Dance by Suns for 40th Win
May 28, 2019 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Delmarva Shorebirds News Release
SALISBURY, MD - The Delmarva Shorebirds claimed their 40th win of the season, downing the Hagerstown Suns 5-4 on Tuesday evening at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.
Gray Fenter (4-1) earned the win for the Shorebirds (40-11) after tossing five innings, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks while striking out six. Fenter dealt with at least one runner in scoring positon in his first four frames but limited the damage. Ryan Tapani (2-4) took the loss for the Suns (23-29), giving up five runs (three earned) on seven hits in 4.2 innings. Tim Naughton pitched a perfect ninth to earn his 10th save for Delmarva.
The Shorebirds broke the scoring seal in the second inning. With one out, Seamus Curran legged out a double to left. Ben Breazeale then bounced a ball to Gilbert Lara at short, who attempted to throw Curran out at third, but he skipped the throw into the Shorebirds' dugout, allowing Curran to score and putting the Shorebirds ahead 1-0.
Jose Sanchez looped a single to left to begin the Hagerstown third. After back-to-back strikeouts, Sanchez advanced to second on a wild pitch. Lara proceeded to bloop a single to center, scoring Sanchez and knotting the score at 1-1.
Ricardo Mendez worked a two-out walk to jumpstart a rally for the Suns in the fourth. Mendez then stole second base and came home on a Sanchez flare to right, pushing Hagerstown ahead 2-1.
The Shorebirds grabbed the lead back for good in the fifth. Ryne Ogren roped a single to begin the frame and advanced to third on an Alexis Torres single to right. Robbie Thorburn then stroked a ball off Omar Meregildo's mitt at first and into right for an RBI single, tying the game at 2-2. Adam Hall followed by getting hit by a pitch to load the bases. Doran Turchin then bounced a ball to third and Hagerstown attempted to turn two, but the relay throw to first ended up in the stands, allowing two runs to score on the play and putting Turchin at second. Turchin advanced to third on a flyout and then scored on a wild pitch, giving the Shorebirds a 5-2 advantage.
With one on in the seventh, Justin Connell ripped a line drive two-run homer to left, bringing the Suns to within one at 5-4, but the Shorebirds bullpen held down the fort the rest of the way.
Matt De La Rosa earned his fourth hold by pitching effectively in the sixth and seventh, while Zach Matson handled a perfect eighth for his first hold. Naughton struck out Jose Sanchez to finish off the ninth.
Breazealewent 1-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to nine games; he is batting .371 (13-35) during that stretch. Ogren and Torres helped spark the offense from the eight- and nine-spots in the order, combing to go 2-for-5 with two runs scored.
Sanchez had three of the Suns' seven hits, finishing 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Connell blasted his second homer of the season while also working a walk and stealing a base.
With the win the Shorebirds took four of five from their in-state rivals and finished their homestand at 7-2. Playing without a day off since a 15-1 loss to Hagerstown on May 13, Delmarva has gone 14-4 over a 15-day stretch.
The 40th win for Delmarva marks just the third time since 2006 that the Shorebirds have won 40 games in one half. It is the team's first 40-win half since the first half of 2016 when Delmarva went 42-27.
With Greensboro's 4-3 loss to Hickory, the Shorebirds are now a season-high six games up in the SAL Northern Division with 18 to play before the All-Star Break. Delmarva's magic number to clinch the division is now 13.
Following an off day, the Shorebirds open a seven-game road trip on Thursday against the Greenville Drive. Drew Rom (3-1, 1.45) toes the rubber for Delmarva, while Greenville hands the ball to Brayan Bello (2-3, 7.34). 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.
South Atlantic League Stories from May 28, 2019
- Heartbreaker Ends Homestand - Augusta GreenJackets
- Kannapolis Uses Balanced Attack to Split Series with Lakewood - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- 'Birds Dance by Suns for 40th Win - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Errors Best Suns in Finale in Delmarva - Hagerstown Suns
- Power Takes Series with Doubleheader Split Tuesday - Charleston Dirty Birds
- 'Dads Rally in Eighth to Beat Greensboro - Hickory Crawdads
- Intimidators Top Claws 7-1 on Tuesday for Series Split - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Late Rome Rally Falls Short as Asheville Survives 4-3 - Rome Emperors
- Tourists Keep Rolling with Third Straight Victory - Asheville Tourists
- Hagerstown Suns Game Notes - Hagerstown Suns
- Late Rally Falls Short as Dogs Drop Finale - Charleston RiverDogs
- Lagrange's Grand Slam, Butto's Brilliance Will Columbia to Win - Columbia Fireflies
- Game Notes (May 28) - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Keller Makes MLB Debut with Pirates in Cincinnati - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Fireflies Roster Move and Game Notes: May 28 at Charleston (Game 52) - Columbia Fireflies
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