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Delmarva Shorebirds

Frantic Comeback Falls Just Short for 'Birds

May 5, 2018 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Delmarva Shorebirds News Release


SALISBURY, MD - After falling behind 8-0, the Delmarva Shorebirds put the tying run on base in the ninth but ran out of outs, allowing the Augusta GreenJackets to escape with an 8-7 win on a thrilling Saturday night at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.

After the GreenJackets (19-9) increased their lead to 8-0 with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh, the Shorebirds (20-9) responded with a massive rally after stretch time. Ryan Ripken led off with a single, and Ben Breazeale drew his third walk of the game to set the table. Will Robertson reached on an error to load the bases, then Kirvin Moesquit hoisted a sac fly to right to plate Ripken and make it 8-1.

Mason McCoy and T.J. Nichting put together back-to-back RBI singles to shave two more runs off the deficit, then Zach Jarrett got hit by a pitch to load the bases. Seamus Curran brought home McCoy on a sac fly to make it 8-4, then Nichting and Jarrett moved up on a wild pitch. Trevor Craport followed with a line drive single to left, scoring both runners to cap a six-run seventh and get the Shorebirds back within 8-6.

Ripken followed with his second single of the inning to put the tying runs on, but Breazeale struck out to end the rally.

In the bottom of the ninth, Nichting led off with a groundball single to left and advanced to second on Jarrett's chopping grounder to short. Curran served a single into right center, bringing Nichting around to cut it to 8-7. Curran represented the tying run at first base but would get no further. Craport flew out to right, and Ripken skied one to the warning track in the left field corner, capping the rally one run short but sending the season-high crowd of 4,894 home with more than a few thrills.

Garrett Cave (1-0) earned his first win with his best outing for the GreenJackets. He scattered two hits across five scoreless innings, walking three and striking out four. Gray Fenter (2-2) never got out of the first inning for the Shorebirds, allowing three runs on four hits in just two-thirds of a frame. Frank Rubio pitched the final two innings for Augusta, helping his team limp across the finish line for his league-leading sixth save.

Augusta knocked Fenter out in the first with a string of singles. Manuel Geraldo led off with a base knock, then Shane Matheny followed with a walk. Jacob Gonzalez hit into a force out at third, then Ryan Kirby singled home Matheny to make it 1-0. Orlando Garcia followed with an RBI single of his own, then after a strikeout Logan Baldwin notched a base hit to score Kirby and make it 3-0, sending Fenter to the showers.

Ryan Wilson came in for long relief for the Shorebirds and put up 4.1 scoreless innings, giving up two hits with two walks and three strikeouts. He coaxed a pair of 6-4-3 double plays, the latter a bona fide web gem in the fifth. Gonzalez fisted a soft liner up the middle. McCoy made the pick on a full-extension dive behind the second base bag and flipped the ball from his glove to Moesquit at second, who made the turn to first to double off Gonzalez.

The GreenJackets busted the dam again in with three in the sixth and two in the seventh. Tyler Brown's two-out RBI single in the top of the seventh put Augusta up 8-0, setting the stage for the heart-stopping finish.

Nichting led the way for the Shorebirds, going 2-for-5 with two runs and an RBI. Craport had two hits and two RBIs, while Curran plated two himself to bust into the SAL top five with 21 season RBIs.

Baldwin reached all four times he came up for the GreenJackets, going 3-for-3 with a run and two RBIs, as well as a 14-pitch walk in the seventh that immediately preceded Brown's run-scoring hit. Kirby finished 2-for-4 with a double, two runs, and two driven in.

The two first-place teams have now split the first two of a four-game series in polar opposite circumstances. Friday night's 3-1 Shorebirds win took 2:27, including an approximately 15-minute injury delay. The GreenJackets drew even in a barnburner that featured 15 runs scored and lasted 3:35.

The Shorebirds and GreenJackets square off in their third of four games on Sunday afternoon. DL Hall (0-0, 1.13) makes his fifth start for Delmarva against Augusta ace John Gavin (2-0, 1.05). First pitch is set for 2:05 p.m. with gates opening at 1:00. Sunday is Sherman Shorebird's birthday at Perdue Stadium, presented by Sherwood of Salisbury. It's also Perdue Strike Out Hunger Sunday, a Hit the Books Game presented by Dr. James M. Crouse at the Brace place, and Kids Run the Bases day presented by Chili's. Pregame coverage on Fox Sports 960 AM and the MiLB First Pitch App begins at 1:50 with Will DeBoer on the call.

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