Long Ball Lifts Delmarva in Crucial Victory
June 11, 2016 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Delmarva Shorebirds News Release
SALISBURY, MD - On paper, Saturday night's ball game should have been a low-scoring, tightly contested affair between divisional foes who have seen each other 11 times in the last three weeks. But as the saying goes, that's why you play the game. Delmarva and Lakewood's early slugfest turned into a bullpen battle late, with the Shorebirds prevailing, 5-4, in front of the largest crowd of the season at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.
Reid Love (4-3) and Jose Taveras (2-5) had each faced their opposition before Saturday night's game, and the three total outings between the two saw two runs cross home plate in 18.2 innings. But this time around, both offenses ripped balls to all parts of the park, especially in the early going.
Jiandido Tromp opened the scoring for Lakewood two batters into the game with a solo blast to left-center, his second homer of the weekend. But the Shorebirds (34-26) quickly tied the game three pitches into the bottom of the first. Cedric Mullins scorched a triple into the right field corner and scored on a wild pitch to Ryan Mountcastle.
Lakewood took a 3-1 lead by the end of their at bats in the top of the third thanks to Brendon Hayden's two out, RBI single in the second and Josh Tobias' RBI ground out in the third.
But the Shorebirds never trailed the rest of the way. In the bottom of the third, Mullins ripped a double to right field and went to third on Mountcastle's single up the middle. Both finished the night 3-for-4 with two runs scored. With DJ Stewart batting, a wild pitch brought Mullins across and sent Mountcastle into scoring position. Stewart struck out, which brought the slumping Yermin Mercedes to the dish.
Slump over.
Mercedes his a towering shot off the top of the left field foul pole for his fifth home run of the season, and it put Delmarva out front 4-3. Lakewood answered with a run in the top of the fourth to tie the game at 4-4 and set the stage for Mountcastle in the fifth.
With one out, Mountcastle crushed a fastball over the billboard fence in left field for a mammoth and decisive blast. His second home run of the week proved to be the last run of the game, with BlueClaws reliever Edgar Garcia and Shorebirds All-Star right-hander Ryan Meisinger each hurling three scoreless frames.
The Shorebirds wrap up the four game series with Lakewood on Sunday afternoon at 2:05 pm. Delmarva has a chance to win the series and make up critical ground in the first half playoff race. Cristian Alvarado is scheduled to make his 12th start of the year for Ryan Minor's club. Brendan Gulick will have the broadcast beginning with Shorebirds On-Deck at 1:50 pm on Fox Sports AM 960 and online at theshorebirds.com.
South Atlantic League Stories from June 11, 2016
- 'Dads Win Wacky Game in Kannapolis 7-5 - Hickory Crawdads
- Intimidators Lose Lead Late to Crawdads - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Fireflies Clobber Power for Third Straight Night - Columbia Fireflies
- Legends Snap Streak with 8-5 Win over Hagerstown - Lexington Legends
- Lexington Gets First Win of Series against Hagerstown - Hagerstown Suns
- Loss Pushes Power under .500 - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Long Ball Lifts Delmarva in Crucial Victory - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Cedeno Stellar as RiverDogs Shutout Asheville, 3-0 - Charleston RiverDogs
- BlueClaws Fall 5-4 Saturday Night at Delmarva - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Tinoco Strong in Return But Offense Remains Handcuffed - Asheville Tourists
- Sunday's 'Bark in the Park' Postponed Until July 5 - Columbia Fireflies
- Fireflies Game Notes: June 11 vs. West Virginia (Game 62) - Columbia Fireflies
- Delmarva Shorebirds Game Notes for Saturday, June 11 - Delmarva Shorebirds
- WV Power Game Notes - Charleston Dirty Birds
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