'Birds Spark Fireworks in Shutout
July 4, 2018 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Delmarva Shorebirds News Release
SALISBURY, MD - The Delmarva Shorebirds rang in the Fourth of July in dominant fashion, blanking the Hagerstown Suns 3-0 on Wednesday night in front of a sellout crowd of 7,354 at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.
Luis Perez (1-0) was stellar in his first start as a Shorebird (8-6, 43-38), allowing five hits over six scoreless innings while walking two and striking out six. Brigham Hill (0-2) took the loss for the Suns (3-10, 30-51), allowing three runs on eight hits over 4.2 innings. Scott Burke picked up his first save of the season for the Shorebirds in three perfect innings.
In the bottom of the fourth, after some near misses, the Shorebirds got their offense going to break open the scoreless ballgame. Mason McCoy led off the frame with a double and came around to score after Zach Jarrett lifted a ball into right field for his own double. Three batters later, Will Robertson chipped an RBI double of his own to right, and Jean Carrillo delivered an RBI single to make it 3-0.
That's all Perez would need in his six innings of work. The 23-year-old Dominican ran into occasional trouble as three Suns made it to third base in the first four frames, but Perez stranded them to remain unblemished.
The defensive play of the night belonged to Carrillo behind the plate. With men on first and third and one out in the top of the third, the Suns' Yasel Antuna broke for second on a pitch. Carrillo sold a convincing pump fake, and Nick Choruby got caught just far enough off the third base bag to prompt a pickle. Five throws later, Choruby was tagged out, and Perez eventually struck out Cole Freeman on a 10-pitch at-bat to finish off the frame.
Perez and Burke combined to retire the final 11 Suns in a row, finishing off the Shorebirds' ninth shutout win of the season.
Jarrett finished 2-for-3 with a double, run, and RBI to lead the Shorebirds. McCoy went 2-for-4 with a double and run scored.
Nick Choruby was the only Sun to gather a multi-hit ballgame, going 2-for-3 on the evening but being thrown out on base twice.
The Shorebirds return to action with game two of three against the Suns on Thursday. DL Hall (0-5, 3.14) gets the start for Delmarva against Hagerstown's Tomas Alastre (3-3, 5.15). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. with gates opening at 6:00. The first 500 fans through the gates on Thursday will receive a red, white, and blue Shorebirds hat presented by Spicer Bros. Construction, Inc. Thursday is also KISS 95.9 Thirsty Thursday presented by University Village at Salisbury and Maryland Pride Thursday. Pregame coverage on Fox Sports 960 AM and the MiLB First Pitch App begins at 6:50 with Will DeBoer and Drew Williams on the call.
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South Atlantic League Stories from July 4, 2018
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