Marrero Homers, Claws Roll to 8-2 Win

SALISBURY, MD - Emmanuel Marrero homered to lead five BlueClaws with multi-hit games as Lakewood topped Delmarva 8-2 on Friday night at Perdue Stadium, Lakewood's fourth win in their last five games.

The win keeps the BlueClaws (31-23/60-63) one game up on Hagerstown, who won at Lexington, and they are now two up on Kannapolis, who lost to West Virginia. There are 16 games left in the second half. Delmarva (21-32/63-59) falls to 9-10 against the BlueClaws this year.

The BlueClaws opened the scoring in the third inning. After Christian Alvarado had retired the first seven hitters he faced, Grenny Cumana singled and Emmanuel Marrero doubled to key the inning. Mark Laird's RBI single put the BlueClaws up 1-0 and Carlos Duran followed with a fielder's choice groundout to score Marrero for a 2-0 lead.

In the fifth, it was Cumana and Marrero again. Cumana led off the inning with a single and Marrero homered over the right field wall. It was his third home run of the season, second of August, and fourth of his professional career.

That was enough for Alberto Tirado (5-1), who gave up three hits over five scoreless innings, striking out nine. Tirado has fanned 35 hitters over 21 innings in his last four starts, allowing just six earned runs.

The BlueClaws got an unearned run in the eighth on an RBI single by Deivi Grullon and scored three times off Dariel Delgado in the ninth. Cornelius Randolph got his first hit on an RBI single and Grullon added two more RBIs with a two-run double off the top of the left field wall.

Delmarva starter Christian Alvarado (9-8) gave up four runs over six innings.

Grullon and Wilson Garcia had three hits for Lakewood while Laird, Marrero, and Cumana each had two in the win.

The series with Delmarva continues on Saturday night at 7:05 pm. RHP Seranthony Dominguez (2-2) starts for Lakewood opposite LHP Brian Gonzalez (8-7).

- BlueClaws -