‘Birds Rue Missed Opportunities, Fall to Wood Ducks

KINSTON, N.C. - Despite a leadoff homer from Lamar Sparks, the Delmarva Shorebirds could not contain the Down East Wood Ducks in a 9-3 loss on Thursday night at Grainger Stadium.

It was a picture perfect start for the Shorebirds (38-23) who began their second half of their season with game three of their series with the Wood Ducks (34-28).

Sparks took the fourth pitch of the contest and smacked it over the wall in center for his second homer of the season to give Delmarva the early 1-0 edge.

Down East was unfazed however and took the lead in the bottom of the first inning. Luisangel Acuna singled and stole second to begin the frame before Dustin Harris worked a walk. Cody Freeman then doubled them both home to put the Wood Ducks ahead.

Antonio Cabello doubled the Wood Ducks advantage in the second, as he smacked a two-run homer, his third of the season, to make it a 4-1 game.

Delmarva chipped away at the deficit with a run in the fifth. Mason Janvrin and Hudson Haskin were both hit by pitches before TT Bowens worked a walk to load the bases. After a flyout, Ryne Ogren was then hit by a pitch to bring Delmarva to within two runs.

Bowens made it a one-run game in the seventh, smashing a solo homer, his eleventh of the campaign, to make it 4-3.

That was as close as Delmarva got. The Wood Ducks plated five in the bottom of the seventh to pull away. Keyber Rodriguez brought in a run with a sacrifice fly before Thomas Saggese and Keithron Moss both pounded two-run homers, the fifth of the season for each player.

Eris Filpo (1-0) collected the win for the Wood Ducks. Out of the bullpen, Filpo threw three innings, allowing one run on two hits and a walk, striking out three.

Shane Davis (4-3) started and was saddled with the loss for Delmarva. Davis tossed three frames, allowing four runs on five hits and one walk, striking out three.

Florencio Serrano started for the Wood Ducks but did not factor into the decision. He lasted three innings, giving up just one run on five hits and one walk, striking out five.

The Shorebirds had eight of nine players collect at least one hit in the game. Despite this, Delmarva went 0-for-12 with runners in scoring position and stranded 12 runners on.

Harris led the charge for Down East, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored while Saggese finished 2-for-5 with a two-run homer.

The Shorebirds look to bounce back against the Wood Ducks on Friday, July 16. The expected probables for the contest are Noah Denoyer (5-2, 3.19) for Delmarva and Orceli Gomez (0-2, 6.75) for Down East. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. from Grainger Stadium.
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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.