Love Dominated Early, Shorebirds Can't Finish off Power
Published on May 16, 2016 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Delmarva Shorebirds News Release
SALISBURY, MD - The Shorebirds learned a tough lesson on Monday night about finishing what they started. After six brilliant innings of baseball, Delmarva coughed up a 3-0 lead and lost 6-3 to the West Virginia Power at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium in the opening game of the series.
Love (2-3) dazzled through his first six innings of work. West Virginia (19-17) only hit a couple of balls out of the infield as he re-established a new career-best with eight strikeouts. But Delmarva's momentum came to a screeching halt in the bottom of the sixth.
Facing reliever Billy Roth, Delmarva (20-16) had a big rally mounting. Roth walked the bases loaded with nobody out in the sixth, and Ademar Rifaela came to the dish. But Rifaela struck out on four pitches, followed immediately by a 6-3 double play off Drew Turbin's bat to end the inning.
Love had already thrown 82 pitches as he went out for the seventh with Patrick Baker warming in the bullpen. Ke'Bryan Hayes opened the seventh with a flared single to center field, followed by a Daniel Arribas walk. Then Mitchell Tolman singled through the left side to load the bases. Ryan Minor stuck by Reid Love, who had put together his best performance of the year up to that point.
Unfortunately, Love made a mistake to Ryan Nagle. Love's 2-0 pitch caught too much of the plate and Nagle belted a bases-clearing double to the wall in right-center. After a grounder moved Nagle to third base, Christian Kelley smashed one to Ricardo Andujar at shortstop that he couldn't handle cleanly, and the Power took a gut-wrenching 4-3 lead.
West Virginia added a solo home run from Hayes in the eighth, and Kelley laced a double to right in the ninth to score Tolman and finish the scoring at 6-3.
Love took the tough luck loss, while Roth (2-1) earned his second career win. Seth McGarry notched his first save of the season.
Delmarva continues a three game set with the West Virginia Power on Tuesday night at 7:05 pm. Ofelky Peralta (1-1) takes the hill for the 'Birds as they try to even the series. Brendan Gulick will have the broadcast beginning with Shorebirds On-Deck at 6:50 pm on Fox Sports AM 960 and online at theshorebirds.com.
South Atlantic League Stories from May 16, 2016
- Crawdads Take Series Opener, 8-2 - Lexington Legends
- Suns Refuse to Lose in Series Opener against BlueClaws - Hagerstown Suns
- GreenJackets Drop Heartbreaker in Extras - Augusta GreenJackets
- Ingram Deals in Series Opener - Columbia Fireflies
- Aguilar Homers and Drives in Three as RiverDogs Defeat Greenville, 3-1 - Charleston RiverDogs
- Dylan Craig Brilliant as Tourists Win 3-2 in 12 - Asheville Tourists
- Love Dominated Early, Shorebirds Can't Finish off Power - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Power Overcome Deficit to Win 6-3 - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Comito Suffers Hard-Luck Loss to Hoppers - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Drive Bats Silenced by RiverDogs in 3-1 Loss - Greenville Drive
- BlueClaws Lose Lead, Winning Streak in 12-9 Loss - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Jose Taveras Named SAL Pitcher of the Week - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Fireflies Game Notes: May 16 vs. Rome (Game 37) - Columbia Fireflies
- Legends' Bodner Promoted to Wilmington - Lexington Legends
- Shorebirds Announce Roster Transaction - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Mitchell Gunsolus Named South Atlantic League Player of the Week - Greenville Drive
- Delmarva Shorebirds Game Notes for May 16, 2016 - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Suiter Promoted Directly to AAA Charlotte - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- RiverDogs Flex Their Muscles and Bark for Brew in Upcoming Homestand at the Joe - Charleston RiverDogs
- WV Power Game Notes - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Drive Playcation Packages Available Online Now - Greenville Drive
- 'Dads Last 19 Innings Before Losing 9-2 - Hickory Crawdads
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