'Birds Steam 'Claws Again, Win Another Series
May 24, 2019 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Delmarva Shorebirds News Release
SALISBURY, MD - The Delmarva Shorebirds ran rings around the Lakewood BlueClaws for the second straight night, winning 12-2 on Friday evening at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.
Nick Vespi (3-2) earned his second consecutive win for the Shorebirds (36-10) after tossing 5.2 innings of one-run, two-hit ball, walking three and striking out nine. Vespi has allowed just two runs in his past 12.1 innings (1.46 ERA) and fanned 20.
Ethan Lindow (1-2) was saddled with for loss for the BlueClaws (15-32), allowing five runs on six hits in four innings. Tyler Joyner picked up his fourth save of the season, pitching the final 3.1 frames while giving up just one run.
Nick Horvath began the Delmarva first by working a 10-pitch leadoff walk. After a popup, Adam Hall smacked a single to right, advancing Horvath to third. Two batters later, Cadyn Grenier laced a two-out single down the left field line to score Horvath, with Hall scampering up to third and Grenier going to second on the throw. Jean Carlos Encarnacion then plated both runners as he skipped a ball off Cole Stobbe's glove at third for a two-run single, increasing the Shorebirds lead to 3-0.
Alexis Torres singled with one out in the second, and two batters later Robbie Thorburn got hit by a pitch to extend the frame. Hall made the BlueClaws pay as he belted a triple to left center, scoring two, and pushing the Delmarva lead to 5-0.
Luke Miller got Lakewood on the board in the fourth with a solo home run, cutting the Delmarva lead to 5-1. The Shorebirds responded by blasting the doors off in the fifth. Grenier doubled with one out and after a strikeout and walk, Ben Breazeale brought home both runners with a ringing double to right. Alexis Torres followed by shooting a single to center to score Breazeale, which put Delmarva ahead by eight. Horvath capped off the inning by swatting an RBI double down the left field line, making it a 9-1 Shorebirds advantage.
After Robbie Thorburn was plunked again and Hall walked to begin the eighth, Doran Turchin ripped a two-run double to left, extending the Delmarva edge to 11-1. Encarnacion capped the Shorebird scoring with an RBI double, making it 12-1.
Lakewood clawed out a run in the top of the ninth on a Jack Conley RBI fielder's choice, but could not muster more than that.
Hall posted his third straight multi-hit game (19th overall) and third straight game with an RBI, going 2-for-4 with a triple and two RBIs. Grenier extended his on-base streak to 19 games, going 2-for-4 with a double and RBI. Torres also went 2-for-4 with an RBI, his first multi-hit game of the year. Encarnacion picked up three RBIs in a 2-for-5 perfomance.
Miller's home run came in his first game of the season with the BlueClaws, and he scored both runs for a Lakewood team that mustered just three hits for the second straight night.
The win clinched the series for the Shorebirds, who are now 10-1-3 in series this season. Delmarva shined in clutch situations all night, going 7-for-15 with runners in scoring position and driving in 10 of their 12 runs with two outs.
The Shorebirds now welcome their Governer's Cup rivals, the Hagerstown Suns, for a five-game, four-day series beginning on Saturday night. Delmarva turns to Ofelky Peralta (3-0, 1.77) against Hagerstown's Joan Adon (3-1, 2.66). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. with gates opening at 4:00 for batting practice. Saturday night has Q105 Fireworks postgame and is also a Hit the Books game presented by Dr. Crouse at The Brace Place. Pregame coverage on Fox Sports 960 AM and the MiLB First Pitch App begins at 6:50 with Will DeBoer and Sam Jellinek on the call.
South Atlantic League Stories from May 24, 2019
- Suns Get First Walk-Off in the 10th - Hagerstown Suns
- RiverDogs Pitching Struggles in Finale as Stowers Continues Power Surge - Charleston RiverDogs
- Walk It Out; Toursits Patient and Aggressive in Win - Asheville Tourists
- Eight Run First Fuels 'Dads to 11-6 Victory - Hickory Crawdads
- Power Swept on the Heels of Back-And-Forth 7-5 Loss - Charleston Dirty Birds
- 'Birds Steam 'Claws Again, Win Another Series - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Jackets Fall in Series Finale - Augusta GreenJackets
- Fireflies Slam Three Homers, Finish up Series with a Win - Columbia Fireflies
- Fireflies Roster Move and Game Notes: May 24 vs. Greenville (Game 48) - Columbia Fireflies
- Game Notes (May 24) - Charleston Dirty Birds
- GreenJackets Offer Chilly Savings with Hot Tickets Deal - Augusta GreenJackets
- Hagerstown Suns Game Notes - Hagerstown Suns
- Five-Run First, Excellent Pitching Leads to Win - Hagerstown Suns
- Braves Overcome GreenJackets in Narrow 3-1 Win - Rome Emperors
- Rom Coasts, 'Birds Shellack 'Claws - Delmarva Shorebirds
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