‘Birds Bested By Wood Ducks in Series Finale

KINSTON, N.C. - Doomed by a six-run second inning, the Delmarva Shorebirds fell 6-3 to the Down East Wood Ducks on Sunday afternoon at Grainger Stadium.

The win gave the Wood Ducks (36-29) the series win over the Shorebirds (39-25). The Shorebirds are now a half-game back of the Carolina Mudcats for the second spot in the Low-A East League postseason.

After a scoreless opening frame, the Wood Ducks exploded in the second. Keyber Rodriguez singled to start the inning and Angel Aponte then singled him to third. Down East then tried to pull off a double steal, but it ended with Aponte being thrown out at second while Rodriguez scored the first run of the game. After a pop out, Jose Acosta rolled a single to center and Alejandro Osuna and Jayce Easley both walked to load the bases. Keithron Moss then ripped a bases-clearing triple to put Down East ahead 4-0. A walk to Luisangel Acuna was followed by a perfectly executed double-steal, allowing Moss to score from third. A walk to Cody Freeman put two runners on as Rodriguez came to the plate for the second time in the inning and capped the frame with an RBI single to left.

The Shorebirds chipped away at the deficit with two runs in the third thanks to a Lamar Sparks sacrifice fly and Darell Hernaiz RBI groundout.

Delmarva cut it to a three-run deficit in the eighth as TT Bowens provided an RBI single, but the Shorebirds went down in order in the ninth to end the game.

Mason Cole (1-0) earned the win in relief for Down East. Cole fired three no-hit innings, allowing just two walks while striking out one.

Griffin McLarty (1-6) suffered his second defeat of the series for Delmarva in the start. McLarty allowed four runs on four hits and two walks, striking out one.

Marc Church fired a perfect ninth, striking out two, to earn his first save of the year for the Wood Ducks.

The Shorebirds collected just three hits in the contest, but TT Bowens did pick up one of them to extend his hitting streak to a team-long 11 games.

With his three-run triple, Moss hit his third three-bagger in his past two games to help power the Down East attack.

After an off-day on Monday, the Shorebirds return home to Arthur W. Perdue Stadium as they kick off a six-game series with the Lynchburg Hillcats on Tuesday, July 20. Starters for the series opener have not yet been announced. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. with pregame coverage beginning at 6:50 p.m. on MiLB.TV and Fox Sports 960 AM with Sam Jellinek on the call.
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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.