'Birds Fall to Suns in 14, 5-4
Published on April 3, 2008 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Delmarva Shorebirds News Release
An unearned run in the top of the fourteenth inning was the difference on a rainy, chilly evening in Salisbury, as the Hagerstown Suns outlasted the Delmarva Shorebirds 5-4. Shorebirds center fielder David Cash dropped a routine fly ball off the bat of C Jhonatan Solano with two outs in the top half of the fourteenth, allowing Suns DH Stephen King to cross the plate and give Hagerstown the lead. Unlike the 12th inning when Delmarva was able to answer a Hagerstown run with one of their own, the Shorebirds were retired 1-2-3 by Kai Tuomi, who earned the victory with two scoreless innings in relief. Zach Clark was tagged with loss despite not allowing a hit in his two innings out of the Delmarva bullpen.
At no point during the game did either team lead by more than a run, as the pitching staffs were in control for much of the game. Each starter, Jeff Mandel for Hagerstown and John Mariotti for Delmarva, went 5 innings and allowed 2 earned runs. In relief, the bullpens were stout, the two teams combining for 18 IP, 11 H, and just 3 earned runs.
Hagerstown First Basemen Bill Rhinehart broke a 2-2 tie in the sixth with the game's only home run, a solo blast to right field off of Tony Butler, but the Birds responded in the bottom of the inning, as Joe Mahoney singled to drive in Tyler Hensen and tie the game at 3. The Shorebirds threatened to win it in the bottom of the ninth, but Jordan Wolf was stranded at third base. Wolf reached base in 5 of 6 plate appearances (3 hits, 2 walks), and the young catcher also threw out 4 Hagerstown Suns on the base paths.
In the end, it was not enough. The costly error was the difference, and the Suns prevailed.
South Atlantic League Stories from April 3, 2008
- Suns top Shorebirds in marathon opener - Hagerstown Suns
- 'Birds Fall to Suns in 14, 5-4 - Delmarva Shorebirds
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