Long, Cunningham Stymie Suns, 6-1

SALISBURY, Md. -- The Delmarva Shorebirds won their fourth straight game with another dominant performance from the pitching staff against the Hagerstown Suns. Delmarva (28-29) limited the Suns to just two hits on Wednesday night in a 6-1 win, locking up another series victory.

Alec Keller led off the game with a triple for Hagerstown, scoring on a grounder from the next batter. The quick start did not last for the Suns as Hagerstown did not register their next hit until the eighth inning. Shorebirds' starter Lucas Long retired the final ten batters he faced, going five innings in his first start with Delmarva.

The Shorebirds immediately responded in the bottom of the first. Jay Gonzalez and Steve Wilkerson set the table with two singles, and T.J. Olesczuk drove home the tying run with a sacrifice fly. Olesczuk has recorded an RBI in all six games he's played with Delmarva, the longest streak by a Shorebird this season.

An error pushed Delmarva in front in the fourth inning. With two outs and two on, Yermin Mercedes hit a hotshot to Cody Dent, skipping under the third baseman's glove. Riley Palmer scored to put the Shorebirds up 2-1.

Luis Reyes worked himself into trouble in the fifth, loading the bases without giving up a hit. Jomar Reyes then drilled a bases-clearing triple into the right-center gap, his team-high fourth triple of the year. In the eighth, Yermin Mercedes belted his first home run with Delmarva, just inside the left field foul pole.

Up 6-1, Nick Cunningham cruised to the finish in relief of Long. The reliever allowed just one hit in four scoreless innings of relief, picking up his first save. Long earned his first win with Delmarva, while Reyes fell to 2-4 for Hagerstown.

Delmarva will go for a series sweep on Thursday evening, having won five of their last six games. Left-hander Brian Gonzalez (3-4, 5.20) starts for the Shorebirds against the Suns' ace Austen Williams (6-1, 1.65). First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.