‘Birds Snap Four-Game Skid With Wednesday Night Win

SALEM, VA – The Delmarva Shorebirds weathered an early see-saw battle to capture a 7-5 win over the Salem Red Sox on Wednesday night at Carilion Clinic Field.

The win snapped a four-game losing streak for the Shorebirds (20-38) while the Red Sox (29-30) were unable to keep pace in the 1st half Carolina League playoff hunt.

Salem exchanged two outs for a run in the bottom of the first as with runners on the corners, a strike ‘em out, throw ‘em out double play at second allowed the Eddinson Paulino to scamper home from third to make it 1-0.

The Shorebirds made the same trade on a 4-6-3 double play with the bases loaded in the top of the second to tie the game at 1-1 before Stiven Acevedo laced an RBI double to put the ‘Birds ahead 2-1.

Salem tied the game in the bottom of the second when Phillip Sikes ripped a two-out RBI triple.

Luis Valdez singled to start the third for the Shorebirds, and after a flyout, the ‘Birds coaxed three straight walks, the last from Moisés Ramirez, plating a run to reclaim a one-run lead.

Again though Salem answered. Salem drew three walks of their own in the bottom of the third, eventually using a fielder’s choice to score a run and tie the game at 3-3.

The Shorebirds finally broke away in the fourth. With runners at the corners, Noelberth Romero ripped an RBI single to reclaim the lead, keeping runners at first and third. Romero then stole second before Trendon Craig slashed a two-run single to make it 6-3 Delmarva.

Paulino got one of those runs back for the Red Sox in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI double, cutting it to a 6-4 game.

Both pitching staffs settled in and there was no action on the scoreboard again until the last of the eighth. A two-out error allowed a run to score for Salem, but with the tying run at third and go-ahead run at first, Ryan Long escaped the jam with a flyout to rightfield.

The Shorebirds added an insurance run in the top of the ninth on a Frederick Bencosme RBI single as Long came back out for the bottom of the ninth and fired a clean frame to seal the 7-5 win.

Joel Benitez (1-0) picked up the win for the Shorebirds out of the bullpen, allowing just a run in 2.1 innings on one hit, striking out one.

Miguel Suero (2-2) absorbed the loss for the Red Sox, allowing three runs on three hits and three walks in 1.1 innings.

Ryan Long collected his first save of the year for the Shorebirds, allowing just an unearned run in four innings on one hit and one walks, striking out three.

The Shorebirds continue their series with the Red Sox on Thursday, June 16. Moises Chace (0-3, 6.41) is slated to go for the Shorebirds while Salem counters with Juan Daniel Encarnacion (5-3, 4.43). First pitch from Carilion Clinic Field is slated for 7:05 p.m. with pregame coverage beginning at 6:50 p.m. on theshorebirds.com with Sam Jellinek on the call.

ABOUT THE DELMARVA SHOREBIRDS

The Delmarva Shorebirds were founded in 1996 and have been the Class-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles since 1997. The Shorebirds have won two South Atlantic League championships in 1997 and 2000 and were named the MiLB.com Minor League Team of the Year in 2019 after going 90-48 in the regular season. Based in Salisbury, Maryland, the Shorebirds are proud to represent the entire Delmarva Peninsula and have hosted two SAL All-Star Games in 1999 and 2011. The Shorebirds are owned by 7th Inning Stretch, LP, based in Stockton, California headed by Chairman Tom Volpe and President Pat Filippone.