How Sweep It Is! BlueClaws Sweep Four-Game Series From Delmarva By Taking a Pair From Birds
SALISBURY, MD - The BlueClaws swept a pair from Delmarva on Monday night at Perdue Stadium, winning 9-6 in a game finished from Sunday and 3-1 in the night-cap to complete a four-game sweep of the Shorebirds and give Lakewood 13 wins in their last 17 games.
The BlueClaws (33-23/63-63) are now back at .500 overall for the first time all season - they lost their first three games and have been under .500 all season. They took nine of 10 from Delmarva (21-35/63-62) in the second half and won all seven August meetings from the Shorebirds at Perdue Stadium.
The first game was suspended with Lakewood leading 7-5 in the third inning on Sunday. It was resumed from there on Monday with the BlueClaws winning 9-6. Jose Taveras led the way with five innings of one run ball and nine strikeouts in a 3-1 win in game two.
In the opener yesterday, before the game suspension, the BlueClaws scored four times in the top of the first inning off Delmarva starter Ofelky Peralta. Cornelius Randolph singled in a run to put the BlueClaws up 1-0. Wilson Garcia drew a bases loaded walk. Jan Hernandez reached on a fielder's choice to drive in a run and Emmanuel Marrero's RBI single put the BlueClaws up 4-0. Peralta came out after 2/3 of an inning.
Delmarva followed with four in the bottom of the first off Franklyn Kilome, including a two-run double from Ryan Mountcastle , RBI single from Natanael Delgado, and a wild pitch that scored Randolph Gassaway.
After Cedric Mullins homered in the second off Scott Harris, who earned the win (1-0), Lakewood scored three in the third, tying the game on a bases loaded walk to William Cuicas and taking the lead on a two-run single by Cornelius Randolph.
The game was then suspended and resumed on Monday. Grant Dyer threw five innings and gave up one run for Lakewood while Wilson Garcia's two-run single gave the BlueClaws two insurance runs and a 9-6 win.
Sutter McLoughlin got his 10th save, all of which have come in the second half.
Lakewood got on the board quickly in game two. Jose Pujols homered in the first inning. It was his 24th home run of the season, breaking his own record (he hit his franchise-record 23rd home run on Friday).
Delmarva's Ronarsy Ledesma leveled the score at 1 with a home run in bottom of the third off Jose Taveras.
The big hits to take the lead came in the fifth. Cornelius Randolph's RBI double put the BlueClaws ahead 2-1 and Jose Pujols followed with an RBI single for a 3-1 lead.
Starter Jose Taveras (7-8) came out after five innings, allowing one run with nine strikeouts. Taveras has given up just one run over 19 innings with 23 strikeouts in winning each of his last three starts.
Delmarva's Reid Love (7-10) took the loss, allowing three runs in five innings.
Pujols had three hits in game two and four in the double-header.
The BlueClaws return home on Tuesday night to start a three-game series with Greensboro. First pitch on Tuesday is at 7:05 pm. RHP Harold Arauz (3-6) starts for Lakewood opposite RHP LJ Brewster (7-5).
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