Speedy Encarnacion Paces Fifth Straight 'Birds Win
June 27, 2019 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Delmarva Shorebirds News Release
HAGERSTOWN, MD - The Delmarva Shorebirds won their fifth straight game in dramatic fashion, besting the Hagerstown Suns 3-1 in 10 innings on Thursday night at Municipal Stadium.
Tied 1-1 in the top of the 10th, Cody Roberts started on second base and Adam Hall got hit by a pitch to put two on with one out. Robert Neustrom came up next and pounded a liner into the right center gap, but Hagerstown's Cody Wilson dove full-extension to make a catch and rob Neustrom of extra bases. Roberts tagged up and advanced to third on the catch, and Cadyn Grenier fought back from 0-2 to draw a walk and load the bases with two out.
Up came Jean Carlos Encarnacion, who hit a high chopper over the mound and out to second base. Kyle Marinconz rushed the throw to first, but Encarnacion beat it out for an infield hit, and Roberts scored to put the Shorebirds (7-1, 55-22) on top. Nick Horvath followed with a bases-loaded walk to push the Delmarva lead to 3-1.
After Matthew Hammonds got the first two outs of the 10th in quick order, the Suns (2-6, 32-46) stayed alive thanks to an error at first by Seamus Curran. Undeterred, Hammonds got Cole Daily to bounce out back to the mound, finishing off the extra-inning win.
Hammonds (2-2) pitched a scoreless ninth and 10th in relief to win it for the Shorebirds. Trey Turner (1-2) took the loss for the Suns, giving up two runs (one earned) in the 10th.
Delmarva grabbed a near-instant lead in the first inning. Grenier hammered a two-out liner that bounced over the left field wall for an automatic double, and Encarnacion followed with a sharp single to left, bringing Grenier around to put the Shorebirds up 1-0.
The Suns could get little going against Shorebird starter Ryan Wilson, who went six scoreless innings for the second straight start. Wilson scattered two hits and walked one while striking out two; over his past three starts he has given up just one unearned run on six hits over 18 innings.
Meanwhile Hagerstown's Francys Peguero settled in and kept the Shorebirds off the board for the rest of his start. Peguero gave up one run on seven hits in a six-inning no-decision.
Hagerstown finally got back into it against reliever Reed Hayes in the bottom of the seventh. Jackson Cluff led off with a single, then Justin Connell bunted him over to second. Marinconz pegged a low liner to left, but Edison Lantigua dropped the ball and both runners were safe at the corners. Nic Perkins worked a walk to load the bases, then Trey Vickers lifted one deep enough to left center for a sac fly, scoring Cluff to knot it up at 1-1.
In the bottom of the ninth Connell beat out a one-out infield single and advanced to second on a throwing error. He then stole third with ease, forcing the Delmarva infield in with a man at third and one out. Hammonds got Marinconz to fly out to shallow right, not deep enough to score the run. Perkins came up next and smashed a low liner back to the mound that Hammonds kicked to his right, chased down, and zinged to first in time to retire the side. Hammonds' grace under fire set up the Shorebirds' heroics in the 10th.
Encarnacion finished 3-for-5 with two RBIs for the Shorebirds, while Grenier mashed two doubles and scored a run. Curran went 2-for-5 with a couple singles.
The Suns managed just four hits on the night against the Wilson-Hayes-Hammonds triumvirate, all singles.
With the win the Shorebirds are now 8-3 in extra-inning games this season, including 5-2 on the road.
The Shorebirds go for their sixth win in a row at the Suns' expense on Friday night. Hector Guance (4-3, 3.76) is due to start for Delmarva against Hagerstown's Tomas Alastre (3-7, 8.18) First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. from Municipal Stadium, and pregame coverage on Fox Sports 960 AM and the MiLB First Pitch App begins at 6:50 with Will DeBoer on the call.
South Atlantic League Stories from June 27, 2019
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