SAL1 Delmarva Shorebirds

Shorebirds Sweep Doubleheader In Lexington

Published on May 10, 2008 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Delmarva Shorebirds News Release


The Shorebirds improved to a season-best six games above .500 by sweeping the Legends in two close contests on Friday night in Lexington. Delmarva continued their winning ways with a 5-3 victory in game one and a 4-3 triumph in game two, giving the 'Birds their sixth win in their last seven games and eight of the last ten.

In the first game of the day, Delmarva jumped out early and eventually led 5-0 after five and a half innings. Joe Mahoney's two-run single in the first, Tyler Henson's two-run homer in the fifth (his third of the season), and Matt Angle's two-out RBI single in the sixth accounted for the Shorebird offense. Meanwhile, starter Zach Britton was dazzling through the first five innings and earned the victory with six and a third innings on the hill. Through the first five, no Legend base-runner reached second base as Britton retired 14 of the first 16 batters he faced. While Lexington scored two in the sixth and one in the seventh off the Shorebird lefty, Mick Mattaliano came on to earn his eighth save and protect Britton's third victory.

In game two, the two teams remained scoreless through the first two frames. After back to back infield singles by Angle and Matt Tucker to set the table, Mahoney launched, undoubtedly, the biggest home run blast of the season this far for Delmarva. Mahoney's bomb left the stadium in a hurry, still rising as it sailed through the night sky like a shooting star that would never be seen again. Aside from being an impressive jack greater than 400 feet, it more importantly gave the Birds a 3-0 lead.

Although Brandon Barnes drilled a solo homer to lead off the bottom of the third for Lexington, it was the only offense off starter Sean Gleason, who went five innings in his second start for the Shorebirds, allowing just the one run on one hit while walking two and striking out four. The Legends chipped away at the deficit with one more in the sixth to get within a run on Matt Cusick's RBI triple, and heading to the ninth Delmarva clung to a 3-2 edge.

An eventful final inning began with a Joe Nowicki double to deep center field. After Brendan Monaghan's sacrifice bunt moved Nowicki to third, Ryan Adams knocked a clutch RBI single through the left side of a brought-in Legend infield to provide some valuable insurance. The lone run in the seventh proved to be the difference, as Lexington scored one off Brian Parker in the bottom of the last, but could not plate the tying run from third with two outs. Parker earned his second save of the season, and the Shorebirds rejoiced victoriously, a satisfying end to an exciting evening of baseball in front of 6,774 fans on fireworks night in Lexington.

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South Atlantic League Stories from May 10, 2008


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