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CarL Delmarva Shorebirds

'Birds Fall in Slugfest to Mudcats

May 21, 2021 - Carolina League (CarL)
Delmarva Shorebirds News Release


SALISBURY, MD - In a back-and-forth slugfest, the Delmarva Shorebirds fell 14-7 to the Carolina Mudcats on Friday night at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.

The Mudcats (10-6) evened the series up at two wins apiece with the Shorebirds (11-5) in the six-game series.

The offense started early and often for Carolina in the top of the first inning. Noah Campbell doubled with one out and after a strikeout swiped third. Ernesto Martinez then laced a triple to right-center to score Campbell with Martinez scoring himself on the play when the relay throw was sailed into the Shorebirds' dugout to make it 2-0 Carolina.

Gunnar Henderson smacked a solo homer, his fifth of the year, in the bottom of the inning to bring Delmarva within one.

In the fourth, Martinez was again at the center of the action for Carolina. Martinez singled to begin the inning and then stole second. Martinez moved to third on a fly out and then scored when Zavier Warren smacked a single to right to put Carolina up 3-1.

In the bottom half Delmarva managed to tie the game. Jordan Westburg singled to open the inning and then stole second. Cristopher Cespedes then brought him into score with a single to center. JD Mundy tied the game as he blasted a double off the right-center wall, scoring Cespedes, and tying the game at 3-3.

Joey Wiemer walked to begin the sixth for Carolina. After a flyout, Ashton McGee ripped a double down the rightfield line to score Wiemer and put Carolina back in front 4-3. A wild pitch on a dropped third strike allowed McGee to advance to third before he scored on a Felix Valerio infield single, making it 5-3 Carolina.

In the bottom half, Mundy walked to start the frame and was followed by Jordan Cannon who was hit by a pitch and Dylan Harris who walked to load the bases. Trevor Kehe tied the game back up at 5-5 as he ripped a two-run double into left-center.

The tie game didn't last long as Noah Campbell belted a solo homer to lead off the seventh, his first homer of the year, putting Carolina ahead 6-5. Joe Gray Jr. then reached on an error and stole second before scoring on a Wiemer single with Wiemer getting thrown out at second trying to stretch it to a double. To rekindle the rally, Warren was hit by a pitch and McGee and Arbert Cipion both drew walks to load the bases. Valerio cashed in on the walks with a two-run single, making it 9-5 Carolina.

The Shorebirds roared back to life in the eighth. Harris walked to begin the inning and advanced to third after two wild pitches. A walk to Kehe put men at the corners for Anthony Servideo who bounced a single to right making it a 9-6 game. Mason Janvrin coaxed a walk to load the bases before Henderson slapped a single to left to bring Delmarva to within two runs. That would be as close they would get, as a strikeout and double play squashed the rally.

Carolina blew the game open with five runs in the ninth. Cipion plated two with a base hit while Holt tacked on another with a base hit of his own. Gray Jr. provided the exclamation point with a two-run homer, his third of the year, to give the game its final line of 14-7.

Peyton Long (1-0) earned the win for Carolina after going 1.2 innings out of the bullpen, allowing two runs on two hits and two walks.

Jensen Elliott (0-1) is saddled with the loss for Delmarva. Elliott allowed four runs (one earned) on three hits and two walks in two-thirds of an inning.

Cam Robinson collected his third save of the year after putting out the fire in the eighth. Robinson worked two scoreless innings, allowing one hit and two walks while striking out two.

Zach Peek started for Delmarva but did not factor into the decision. Peek allowed two runs (one earned) over three frames on three hits while striking out a career-high six.

Brandon Knarr started for Carolina and also failed to factor into the decision. Knarr went three innings, allowing three runs on four hits while walking two and striking out five.

With his fifth homer of the season, Henderson moves into sole possession of the Low-A East League lead for homers. Westburg collected two hits for the seventh consecutive game, finishing 2-for-4 with two stolen bases.

Campbell spearheaded the 14-run onslaught for Carolina, finishing 3-for-6 with a homer and three runs scored. Carolina ran rampant on the bases, swiping seven bags.

With the series now even at two all, the Shorebird and Mudcats meet again on Saturday, May 22 at Perdue Stadium. Jake Lyons (0-1, 13.50) gets the nod for Delmarva, against Jhoan Cruz (1-0, 3.95) for Carolina. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. with pregame coverage on Fox Sports 960 AM and MiLB.TV beginning at 6:50 with Sam Jellinek on the call.

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