'Birds Open Season with Split Bill against Sox
May 6, 2021 - Carolina League (CarL)
Delmarva Shorebirds News Release
SALISBURY, MD - The Delmarva Shorebirds split a doubleheader with the Salem Red Sox on Wednesday evening, claiming the first game 7-4 before falling in the second game 6-1 at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.
Game one of the doubleheader actually began on May 4, before being suspended due to inclement weather. With the split, both the Shorebirds and Red Sox move to 1-1 on the season.
Game One
Prior to the suspension a barn burner was already burning in Salisbury.
Salem used a big two-out knock to strike first in the top of the first inning. Gilberto Jimenez legged out an infield single to open the game and after a strike out, Nick Decker roped a single to right to put two aboard. Both runners advanced on a groundout to shortstop before Nick Northcut blasted a three-run homer to left, his first of the year, to put Salem ahead 3-0.
The Shorebirds answered in the bottom half with a long ball of their own. Hudson Haskin beat out an infield single to begin the inning. A groundout moved Haskin to second. Gunnar Henderson then stepped to the plate and walloped a two-run homer to left, his first of the year, to bring the Shorebirds to within one at 3-2.
A Jordan Cannon solo homer to left, his first of the year, tied the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the fourth.
Salem answered immediately however as in the top of the fifth Decker snuck as solo home run inside the foul pole down the right field line, his first of the year, allowing Salem to reclaim the lead 4-3.
The lead was short lived as in the bottom of the inning, Delmarva knotted the score at 4-4. Jordan Westburg blooped a single to right with one away and then swiped second. After a passed ball moved Westburg to third, Dylan Harris stroked a single through the hole on the left side to drive in Westburg and tie the game at 4-4.
The game stayed knotted until the bottom of the eighth when Delmarva capitalized on a series of Salem errors. Cannon singled to begin the inning and then stole second base. After back-to-back strikeouts, Anthony Servideo worked a walk to put two aboard. Henderson then pounded a grounder to first that was booted by the first baseman into shallow right field allowing Cannon and Servideo to score with Henderson advancing to third on a subsequent throwing error. Westburg then capped the rally by beating out an infield single allowing Henderson to score and pushing the Delmarva lead to 7-4.
Shelton Perkins came on for the ninth, allowing a hit and picking up a strikeout en route to his first save of the season.
Ryan Conroy (1-0) earned the win in relief for Delmarva. Conroy pitched two shutout innings, yielding just one hit and a walk while punching out two.
Cody Scroggins (0-1) absorbs the loss for the Red Sox. Scroggins gave up three unearned runs on two hits and a walk while striking out two.
Neither starting pitcher factored into the decision after the suspension of the game. Zach Peek began the game for Delmarva and went two innings, allowing three runs on four with four strikeouts. Aldo Ramirez started and threw one inning for Salem, yielding two runs on two hits, a walk, and two strikeouts.
Cannon led the way offensively for Delmarva smashing a solo home run while going 3-for-3 with two runs scored plus a stolen base. Westburg also collected multiple hits, going 2-for-5 with an RBI and run scored.
Game Two
The tail end of the doubleheader was all Red Sox from the get-go. In the top of the first, Jimenez legged out a double to left to begin the game. After Nick Yorke worked a walk, a Decker grounder back to the mound forced Yorke out at second putting men at the corners. An ensuing groundout from Stephen Scott scored Jimenez and moved Decker to second. Northcut then followed by drilling a single to center, scoring Decker and giving Salem a 2-0 lead.
Delmarva answered with one in the bottom half without the benefit of a hit. Haskin was hit by a pitch to begin the inning and after a strikeout moved to second a groundout to first. A balk pushed Haskin to third and he then scored on a passed ball cutting the deficit 2-1 for Delmarva.
Salem got that run back immediately in the top of the second as Matthew Lugo blasted a solo homer to center, his first of the year, giving Salem a 3-1 advantage.
The Red Sox cracked the game open in the third. With two away, Scott blooped a single to right to start the rally. Northcut then reached on an error to extend the inning and put two aboard before Alex Erro swatted a three-run homer, pushing the Red Sox edge to 6-1.
The Shorebirds threatened by putting runners in scoring position in the fifth, sixth, and seventh, but could not break through and fell by a final of 6-1.
Jordan DiValerio (1-0) earned the win in relief for Salem. DiValerio worked 2.2 shutout innings, striking out four without conceding a hit or walk.
Delmarva starter Jake Lyons (0-1) suffers the loss in his first outing of the year. Lyons lasted one inning while working into the second, allowing three runs on three hits and a walk while striking out one.
Jeremy Wu-Yelland started for Salem but did not factor into the decision. Wu-Yelland tossed 2.1 no-hit innings, striking out five and walking three.
Erro paced the Red Sox offense with his three-run homer while Jimenez had the only multi-hit game for Salem, going 2-for-4 with a double.
Delmarva could only muster three hits in the loss, singles from Servideo, Harris, and Ramon Rodriguez
The Shorebirds and Red Sox lock horns again on Friday evening at Perdue Stadium. Brandon Young gets the ball in his first career outing for Delmarva while Salem turns to Ryan Zeferjhan. 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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