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SAL1 Delmarva Shorebirds

Knight Dazzles, 'Birds Blank 'Flies for Sweep

May 2, 2019 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Delmarva Shorebirds News Release


COLUMBIA, SC - Robbie Thorburn's solo home run in the seventh inning was enough for the Delmarva Shorebirds, who blanked the Columbia Fireflies 1-0 to finish off yet another series sweep on Thursday night at Segra Park.

Blaine Knight (3-0) was at his best for the Shorebirds (20-4), baffling the Fireflies (8-18) over six scoreless three-hit innings. He walked none, hit one batter, and struck out seven on 83 pitches. With his first career Quality Start, Knight, the Orioles' No. 10 prospect, extended his scoreless streak to 22.2 innings, the longest for a Shorebird since Alex Wells went 36 straight scoreless from June 30 through July 30, 2017.

Billy Oxford (0-1) took the loss in relief for the Fireflies after serving up Thorburn's shot. Matt Hammonds earned a hold with two scoreless frames, and Matt De La Rosa pitched a perfect ninth for his first save, finishing off the combined four-hit shutout.

Knight and Columbia starter Jose Butto were nearly untouchable at the beginning of the night, breezing through the first four frames in under an hour. Butto endured a no-decision after tossing 5.2 scoreless four-hit innings, walking two and striking out two.

The Fireflies had their best chances against Knight in the first and fifth. In the first inning, Brian Sharp singled with one out and took second on a wild pitch, and Chase Chambers beat out an infield hit to put men on the corners with two down. Knight settled down and got Hayden Senger to ground out to short to finish off the jam.

In the fifth, Wagner Lagrange led off with a single and was awarded second base after a balk. Walter Rasquin tried to bunt Lagrange up to third, but Knight pounced on the bunt and fired to third to get Rasquin in a rundown and out. Knight then struck out Anthony Dirocie and got Bradley Marquez to fly out to center, ending another threat.

The Shorebirds put together back-to-back two-out rallies in the fifth and sixth but left men on first and second each time. Then with two out in the top of the seventh, Thorburn connected on a 1-1 pitch from Oxford, lashing a line drive homer into right center. The blast was the first of Thorburn's professional career - in his 100th game - and got Delmarva on the board at 1-0.

Hammonds gave up a single and walk in the seventh inning before getting Marquez to line out to right for the third out; he then sat down the Fireflies in order in the eighth. De La Rosa came on for the ninth and coaxed three groundouts, putting a lid on the Shorebirds' third clean sheet of the season in a tight 2:31.

Thorburn finished 2-for-3 with the game's only run and RBI on his solo shot. Adam Hall went 2-for-4 with one infield single and one bunt single for his 11th multi-hit game of the year.

Lagrange finished 2-for-4 for half of Columbia's four singles on the night.

The win clinched the Shorebirds their fifth series sweep in their first eight series of the year. Last season Delmarva only had six series sweeps during the entire season; in 2017 the team only had five.

The Shorebirds aim to stay pefect as they open a four-game set against the Asheville Tourists on Friday night, their first visit to McCormick Field since 2016. Grayson Rodriguez (3-0, 0.54) returns to the hill for Delmarva against Asheville's Shelby Lackey (1-2, 4.70). 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.

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