SAL1 Delmarva Shorebirds

Shorebirds earn win thanks to solid pitching

Published on July 22, 2008 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Delmarva Shorebirds News Release


Hickory, NC- The Shorebirds outlasted a 52 minute lightning delay in the fifth inning and held off the Crawdads for the third straight night, winning 5-1 behind the strong pitching of Zach Britton and Robert Neigebauer. Delmarva will attempt to sweep the four game series with Hickory on Wednesday. The Birds can finish the road trip 6-2 with a win.

Delmarva starter Zach Britton won his tenth game of the season, becoming just the fourth pitcher in the South Atlantic League this season to reach double figures in victories. For his second straight start, the Shorebird southpaw allowed just a single unearned run on only two hits. Neigebauer pitched the final three innings in his first appearance since moving back to the bullpen, earning his first save of the season.

The Crawdads scored first with an unearned run in the bottom of the second. After Erik Huber reached on Matt Tucker's fielding error to begin the inning, Tom Hagan singled and the ‘Dads had two on with nobody out. Following a sacrifice bunt to move the runners into scoring position, Ronald Pena's infield grounder scored a run and Hickory led 1-0.

Delmarva finally broke through offensively in the fourth. Following a Joe Nowicki strikeout, four consecutive singles tied the game at one. Anthony Martinez, Joe Mahoney, and Matt Tucker all reached to load the bases, and Wally Crancer's sinking line drive into left-center field gave the Birds their first run. Delmarva would take the lead on Kieron Pope's fielder's choice ground ball to shortstop.

In the fifth, Nowicki's 30th double of the season plated Ryan Adams from third base. A batter later, Martinez singled to left field. Nowicki was holding up at third, but when left fielder Albert Laboy booted the ball, Nowicki scored the fourth Shorebird run.

After the lightning delay in the fifth, the ballgame sped along, with the only scoring in the final four innings coming in the top of the ninth, when Matt Angle singled in Pope to put Delmarva up by four.

Now 11 games above .500 for the first time this season, the Shorebirds send Sean Gleason to the hill for the series finale on Wednesday, a 12:05 afternoon start in Hickory.

Check out the Delmarva Shorebirds Statistics

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South Atlantic League Stories from July 22, 2008


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