SALISBURY, MD - The Delmarva Shorebirds went yard early and often to beat the Lakewood BlueClaws 9-3 on Saturday night at Perdue Stadium, stretching their season-high winning streak to four games.Down 1-0 after Darick Hall's RBI double in the top of the first, Cole Billingsley mashed a leadoff homer to
SALISBURY, MD - The Delmarva Shorebirds went yard early and often to beat the Lakewood BlueClaws 9-3 on Saturday night at Perdue Stadium, stretching their season-high winning streak to four games.
Down 1-0 after Darick Hall's RBI double in the top of the first, Cole Billingsley mashed a leadoff homer to right in the bottom of the frame, the Shorebirds' (3-0, 32-39) first leadoff home run of the season. Preston Palmeiro drew a walk two batters later, and Collin Woody slashed a double to left center to bring him around. Chris Clare walked and Frank Crinella singled to load the bases, and Alejandro Juvier hit into a fielder's choice to bring home Woody and make it 3-1 Delmarva.
The fireworks continued in the second and third innings. Jake Ring went yard to right, his 10th of the season, in the second. In the third it was Woody, who cracked a towering solo shot to left, his third of the year.
Preston Palmeiro drove in a run with a two-out RBI single in the fourth, while Clare doubled and scored on a wild pitch in the fifth. When the dust settled, the Shorebirds had a 7-1 lead after scoring in their first five innings.
The BlueClaws (0-3, 40-33) got two back in the top of the sixth. Hall delivered his league-leading 53rd RBI with a line drive solo shot to right, and Henri Lartigue went deep to right center to make it 7-3. Hall and Lartigue hit back-to-back shots the night before.
Delmarva reinforced the lead in the bottom of the seventh. Clare worked out a one-out walk, and Crinella laced a triple to the wall in right center to bring him home. Crinella then came in when Jose Antequera committed an error at third base on a grounder by Juvier, giving the game its final margin.
Jhon Peluffo (5-2) grabbed the team lead in wins coming out of the bullpen, allowing two runs on two hits over two innings. Adonis Medina (2-6) was saddled with the loss after giving up five runs on five hits in three innings, including all three Shorebird home runs.
Woody led the way for the 'Birds at the plate, going 2-for-5 with a double, homer, two RBIs, and two runs. Crinella finished 2-for-4 with a triple, run, and RBI, while Juvier plated two runs without a hit.
Lartigue paced the BlueClaws, finishing 2-for-4 with his own double, homer, and two RBIs. Lartigue and Mickey Moniak had two hits each.
Travis Seabrooke started for Delmarva and lasted four innings, allowing one run on two hits while walking three and striking out one.
Orioles closer Zach Britton made his latest rehab appearance in the top of the seventh. He walked Antequera to lead off but induced a 6-4-3 double play from Carlos Duran and got Daniel Brito to roll out to short, facing the minimum on 11 pitches.
Steven Klimek took it the rest of the way, pitching a scoreless eighth and ninth to lock it down.
With Kannapolis's loss at Columbia and Hickory's postponement, the Shorebirds are the only 3-0 team in the South Atlantic League three days into the second half.
The Shorebirds go for the sweep on Sunday afternoon as Alex Wells (4-4, 2.96) makes his first post-All-Star Game start against fellow All-Star JoJo Romero (5-1, 2.01). First pitch is 2:05 p.m. with gates opening at 1:00. Sunday is First Responders Day at Perdue Stadium, featuring a touch-a-truck promotion at the gates. It's also Perdue Strike Out Hunger Sunday and Kids Run the Bases Day presented by Chili's. Pregame coverage on Fox Sports AM 960 and the MiLB First Pitch app begins at 1:50 p.m. with Will DeBoer on the call.
