SAL1 Delmarva Shorebirds

Home Streak Ends as 'Birds Split Two

Published on April 28, 2019 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Delmarva Shorebirds News Release


SALISBURY, MD - The Delmarva Shorebirds saw their season-opening home winning streak come to a dramatic end, splitting a doubleheader with the Augusta GreenJackets on Saturday evening at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium. The Shorebirds (17-3) cruised to a 5-1 win in Game 1, while the GreenJackets (10-11) pulled off a stunning comeback in Game 2 to win 6-3.

Game 1

The Shorebirds rode the left arm of Drew Rom (1-0), who picked up his first professional win. The Orioles' No. 28 prospect allowed an unearned run on five hits in five innings, walking one and striking out three. Sean Hjelle (0-2) took the loss for the GreenJackets, giving up four runs (three earned) on four hits in three frames.

Delmarva got the ball rolling in the bottom of the second. Jean Carlos Encarnacion reached on an error with one out and promptly stole second. Ben Breazeale then drew a walk, and Encarnacion got caught stealing third. On a full count pitch with two out, Seamus Curran rocked a flyball deep to right center for a two-run homer, his second in three games, to put the Shorebirds up 2-0.

Aggressive baserunning paid dividends for the Shorebirds in the third. Robert Neustrom notched a one-out single and stole second, taking third on an Adam Hall groundout. Doran Turchin then drew a walk to put men on the corners. On a pitch to Encarnacion, Turchin broke for second, and Neustrom broke for the plate on the throw from catcher Jeffry Parra. The double steal produced another run, and the throw sailed into center to let Turchin take third. Encarnacion followed with a chopper up the third base line for an infield hit, scoring Turchin to make it 4-0 Delmarva.

The teams traded runs in the fourth. Shane Matheny led off with a three-base error, and Frankie Tostado drove him in with a groundout to get Augusta on the board. Delmarva countered with a Seamus Curran walk, two wild pitches, and a sac fly to Ryne Ogren to get it back to 5-1.

Ogren, who was acquired earlier in the week from the Mariners system in the Mike Wright trade, finished 2-for-2 with an RBI in his Shorebirds debut. Curran's homer was his third of the season.

Wander Franco reached three times for the GreenJackets, going 2-for-2 with a walk.

Zach Matson finished off the game for Delmarva, tossing two scoreless one-hit innings to bring it home and extend the Shorebirds' season-opening home winning streak to 12 games.

Game 2

With Delmarva up 3-0 in the top of the seventh, the GreenJackets roared back against Tim Naughton. Diego Rincones led off with a walk, and Tostado singled to put two men on. Jacob Gonzalez laced a double down the right field line, scoring Rincones and moving the tying runs into scoring position. Aaron Bond got plunked to load the bases, and Franco and Andres Angulo drew back-to-back bases loaded walks, forcing in the tying runs. Ismael Mungia then notched a go-ahead two run single, and Jose Layer followed with a base hit of his own to drive in another and make it 6-3 Augusta.

Preston White (1-1) picked up the win in relief for the GreenJackets, tossing a scoreless fifth and sixth to keep it close. Naughton (1-1) took the loss after failing to record an out in the seventh, allowing six runs on four hits with three walks and a hit batsman. Jesus Tona struck out the side in the bottom of the seventh to record his fourth save.

The loss overshadows a stellar pitching performance from Delmarva's Gray Fenter, who went six scoreless innings in a no-decision. Fenter faced just two over the minimum, allowing three hits with one walk and six strikeouts.

Augusta's Blake Rivera also came down with no decision, allowing three runs on three hits in four-plus innings.

Delmarva scored early in the nightcap as well. In the bottom of the third, Nick Horvath got hit in the batting helmet to lead off and stole second base. Robbie Thorburn hit a flyball deep enough to get Horvath to third, and Hall followed with a sac fly to right to make it 1-0 Shorebirds.

The bottom of the fifth provided both insurance runs and missed opportunities. Horvath led off with a hustle double, then Thorburn beat out an infield single down the first base line. Adam Hall reached on an error to load the bases, and Neustrom muscled a single past first to bring in Horvath. After a strikeout, Daniel Fajardo hit a sharp grounder to third. Gonzalez made a diving stop on it, but his throw to first was late, and Thorburn scored on the infield hit to push the Delmarva lead to 3-0.

Encarnacion then struck out and Ogren flew out to center, stranding the bases loaded and leaving the door cracked open for the GreenJackets to bust through in the seventh.

Thorburn went 1-for-3 with a run scored in his Shorebirds debut. Horvath finished 1-for-2 with a double, stolen base, and two runs. Neustrom ahd two hits an an RBI.

Munguia proved to be a spark in the nine-hole for the GreenJackets, going 3-for-3 with a double and two RBIs. Layer finished 2-for-4 with a triple and RBI.

The loss ends the Shorebirds' undefeated streak at home at 12 games. Of the three games Delmarva has lost this season, two came with the Shorebirds leading in what would've been the game's final inning. On April 6 in Lexington, the Legends tied it with two out in the ninth and won it in the 10th.

All three of the Shorebirds' losses this season have come on Saturdays; the team is a perfect 15-0 on the other six days of the week and 2-3 on Saturday.

The Shorebirds will try and get back on track in the Sunday afternoon finale with the GreenJackets. Nick Vespi (1-0, 6.75) is on the bump for Delmarva against Augusta's Jesus Ozoria (season debut). First pitch is set for 2:05 p.m. with gates opening at 1:00. Sunday is Sherman's Birthday, presented by Pohanka of Salisbury, and will feature visits from all of Sherman's mascot friends. It's also Perdue Strike Out Hunger Sunday, a Hit the Books Game presented by Dr. Crouse at the Brace Place, and postgame Kids Run the Bases 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.

Check out the Delmarva Shorebirds Statistics

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South Atlantic League Stories from April 28, 2019


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