SAL1 Delmarva Shorebirds

'Claws Fly by 'Birds in Opener

Published on July 1, 2019 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Delmarva Shorebirds News Release


LAKEWOOD, NJ - The Delmarva Shorebirds managed just three hits in the entire game, falling to the Lakewood BlueClaws 3-0 on Monday night at FirstEnergy Park.

Victor Santos (4-6) paced a strong night on the mound for the BlueClaws (4-8, 33-49), scattering two hits across five scoreless innings with no walks and three strikeouts. Grayson Rodriguez (7-2) swallowed the tough loss for the Shorebirds (9-3, 57-24); the Futures Game-bound Rodriguez gave up one run on five hits in five innings, walking one and punching out six. Francisco Morales completed the Lakewood tandem in strong fashion, giving up one hit over four scoreless for his first save.

After squandering a pair of run-scoring chances in the first and third, the BlueClaws finally broke through against Rodriguez in the fourth inning. Hunter Stovall laced a one-out double, then Cole Stobbe golfed a double of his own to follow and plate Stovall. Stobbe was thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple, but he still gave Lakewood the lead at 1-0.

The home side added on two for good measure in the seventh. Stobbe led off with his second double of the game, bringing up Malvin Matos. Matos hit one on the ground right back to the mound, but Shorebird reliever Tyler Joyner's throw to try and get Stobbe at third sailed high, allowing Stobbe to score and make it 2-0. With Matos at second after the error, Jake Holmes followed up with an RBI single, putting the BlueClaws up 3-0.

Delmarva managed two-out rallies in the second and seventh innings, getting men on first and second, but couldn't break through either time. The loss was the first clean sheet Delmarva has endured in the second half and came in a brisk 2 hours 5 minutes, the Shorebirds' shortest game of the year.

Adam Hall, Cody Roberts, and Jaylen Ferguson each notched one of the three Shorebirds hits on the night, all singles. Roberts also walked to get on base twice, and Jean Carlos Encarnacion got hit by a pitch in the second, accounting for all five Delmarva baserunners.

Stobbe paced the BlueClaws attack, going 2-for-4 with two doubles, a run, and an RBI. Luis Garcia got a double and single off Rodriguez, going 2-for-4.

With Hickory's 4-1 win at West Virginia, the Shorebirds finish the night out of first place (half-season standings) in the Northern Division for the first time since April 11. Delmarva had been in first place at the end of 72 of their 76 game days on the season, including 70 in a row since April 12.

The Shorebirds will look to get back into the series against the BlueClaws on Tuesday night. Coming off his five no-hit innings against the same team on Wednesday, Ofelky Peralta (5-2, 3.32) will go to work for Delmarva against Lakewood's James McArthur (0-5, 6.12). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m., and pregame coverage on Fox Sports 960 AM and the MiLB First Pitch App begins at 6:50 with Will DeBoer on the call.

Check out the Delmarva Shorebirds Statistics

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South Atlantic League Stories from July 1, 2019


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