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SAL1 Delmarva Shorebirds

Delmarva Wraps up Home Slate with Sweep

September 2, 2015 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Delmarva Shorebirds News Release


SALISBURY, Md. -- The Delmarva Shorebirds won their fifth straight game over the Hickory Crawdads, concluding their home schedule with a 7-1 victory on Wednesday. Delmarva (69-64, 36-29) used another dominant pitching performance and a five-RBI game from Steve Wilkerson to finish off a five-game sweep.

The pitching staff dominated all week, with Matthew Grimes capping off the stellar performance with a quality start. Grimes went six innings in his final scheduled start of 2015, allowing one unearned run on five hits. The only run came after an error extended the fourth inning. Jairo Beras stroked an RBI double down the third base line, just barely staying fair past Ronarsy Ledesma's dive.

Wilkerson starred in the Shorebirds' offensive effort, collecting a career-high five RBIs. In the third inning, Wilkerson capitalized on an inning-extending error with a three-run home run, hooking just inside the right field foul pole. For Wilkerson, it was his second home run of the year and his first at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.

Up 3-1, Wilkerson helped push the lead out further with a two-out RBI single in the fifth. Cam Kneeland also punched an RBI single, collecting his team-high 57th RBI of the season. In the sixth, Delmarva scored two more runs when Kelvin Vasquez struggled out of the Crawdads' bullpen. Daniel Franco bounced an RBI infield single, and Wilkerson drew a bases-loaded walk to force in another run.

Leading by a half dozen, the Shorebirds' bullpen duo of Max Schuh and Ivan Hernandez took over. Schuh pitched two scoreless innings, allowing just an infield single. Hernandez loaded the bases in the ninth, but he escaped without any damage done for a 7-1 final. In the series, the Shorebirds' bullpen pitched a combined 17 innings without allowing a run.

Grimes earned his 10th victory of the season with his quality start, becoming the first Shorebird pitcher since 2008 to crack double digit wins. Ariel Jurado suffered his first loss of the season, falling to 12-1 on the year for Hickory. Delmarva has now clinched at least an even .500 record, and one more victory will clinch a winning record for the first time since 2008. The Shorebirds have won five in a row, and 14 of their last 19 games.

The final series of the season begins on Thursday evening at FirstEnergy Park in Lakewood, N.J. Right-hander Lucas Long (2-3, 4.50) starts the series opener against the BlueClaws' right-hander Will Morris (6-0, 1.41). First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at FirstEnergy Park.

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