Legends Outslug 'Birds in Morning Tilt
Published on May 9, 2018 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Delmarva Shorebirds News Release
LEXINGTON, KY - In a game that featured five combined home runs, the Lexington Legends used theirs to a greater advantage, downing the Delmarva Shorebirds 7-4 on Wednesday morning and afternoon at Whitaker Bank Ballpark.
Daniel Tillo (1-1) earned the win for the Legends (15-15), allowing three runs on seven hits in seven innings while walking none and striking out six. Cameron Bishop (3-2) kept his Quality Start streak in tact but took the loss for the Shorebirds (21-11), surrendering four runs (three earned) on six hits in six innings. He also walked none and struck out a career-high seven.
Delmarva manufactured a run in the top of the first. Mason McCoy singled with one out, then a Zach Jarrett double put men on second and third. T.J. Nichting bounced out to first, scoring McCoy to make it 1-0.
Seuly Matias reached on an error to lead off the second for Lexington, and Sebastian Rivero singled to put two men on. Brewer Hicklen came up and smashed a three-run homer to dead center over the batter's eye, putting the Legends up 3-1 in an instant.
Lexington tacked on another in the fifth. Julio Gonzalez led off with a double but was erased at third on a Jeison Guzman fielder's choice. Guzman stole his way to second and came home two batters later on a Nick Pratto single to make it 4-1.
The Shorebirds slugged their way back into it in the sixth and seventh innings. Seamus Curran teed off in the sixth for a line drive solo homer off the big scoreboard in right center, his sixth of the year. In the seventh, Jean Carrillo punched his third round-tripper of the season over the wall in left center, whittling the Legend lead down to 4-3.
The Legends would put it away, though, in the home half of the seventh. Cal Jones led off with an infield single, then Julio Gonzalez bunted his way aboard to set the table. After back-to-back strikeouts, Pratto unleashed a three-run line drive to the roof of the pavillion in right. Pratto's three-run dinger put Lexington comfortably in front at 7-3. Trevor Craport homered to left in the ninth to get the Shorebirds on the board one more time, but Delmarva ended the game with the potential tying run left in the on-deck circle.
The three home runs were the most in a game for the Shorebirds this season. Curran led the way at the plate, adding a double to his own solo shot to finish 2-for-4. Zach Jarrett went 2-for-4 with a double.
Pratto finished his monster day 3-for-4 with a home run and four RBIs. Gonzalez went 2-for-3 with a double and run in his Legend debut.
Partially due to neither team issuing a walk, the game only lasted 2:19. When the Shorebirds and Legends last met on July 13-14 of last year, they played 21 innings against each other over 6:07 with a 17-hour delay mixed in.
The Shorebirds look to rebound in game two against the Legends on Thursday night. Matthias Dietz (2-1, 4.38) will get the start for Delmarva against Lexington's Janser Lara (0-1, 3.68). 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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