SAL1 Jersey Shore BlueClaws

BlueClaws score nine straight in 10-5 win

Published on May 19, 2008 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Jersey Shore BlueClaws News Release


LAKEWOOD, N.J. - The BlueClaws scored nine straight runs after falling behind early to take a 10-5 win over West Virginia on Monday night at FirstEnergy Park.

Lakewood trailed 5-1 after just an inning and a half, but the offense mounted its biggest rally of the season to earn a series split against the seventh-place Power.

The BlueClaws scored nine runs over four innings, including three-run rallies in the second and the fifth innings.

Mike Durant hit his 10th home run of the season, scoring the game-tying and game-winning runs. Durant's home run turned a 5-4 BlueClaws deficit into a 6-5 Lakewood lead.

The BlueClaws needed the big comeback largely because Jacob Diekman could not make it through the third inning. The Lakewood southpaw gave up five runs, four earned, on six hits in 2 1/3 innings. He also issued four walks.

All five runs against Diekman came in the second inning, when the Power sent ten hitters to the plate. Diekman allowed three straight to reach base, including two on the walk, to start the inning. Scott Houin, Lee Haydel and Eric Farris each drove at least on run in the rally.

Diekman started the third inning, but loaded the bases with one out signaling the end of evening for the BlueClaws starter. His outing was the shortest this season by any BlueClaws starter.

But Ben Pfinsgraff (1-2) managed to keep the BlueClaws close by retiring the next two hitters without allowing a run to score. Pfinsgraff faced the minimum 14 hitters over 4 2/3 innings to earn his first win of the season.

The victory was the first for the BlueClaws (21-23) in a game started by Diekman. Lakewood lost the first eight games in which he started.

For the second straight ballgame the BlueClaws saw one of their pitchers forced to depart a game after being hit with a batted ball. Alexander Concepcion was hit with a bouncer back up the middle off the bat off Curt Rindal and was helped off the field. He pitched just 1/3 innings in his 2008 BlueClaws debut.

Julian Sampson was struck with a line drive on Sunday and had to exit, but all signs point to him making his next start.

Seven of the BlueClaws starters had at least one hit, including Karl Bolt, who had his second three hit game in the last three days. The BlueClaws designated hitter finished 3-for-4 with two doubles and triple. He also scored twice and drove in a run.

Roque Mercedes (1-3) took the loss for the Power (16- 26), giving up nine runs, six earned, in 4 1/3 innings.

The BlueClaws welcome Greensboro to FirstEnergy Park on Tuesday at 6:35 p.m. at FirstEnergy Park. The Grasshoppers swept Lakewood in a four-game series in Greensboro last week.

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South Atlantic League Stories from May 19, 2008


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