‘Birds String Back-To-Back Wins Together Against ‘Cats

SALISBURY, MD - The Delmarva Shorebirds scored four unanswered runs over the final five frames to defeat the Lynchburg Hillcats 7-3 on Saturday night at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.

The Shorebirds (41-29) jumped on the Hillcats (35-35) first for the third straight game to take the lead.

In the first inning, Mason Janvrin was hit by a pitch to start the frame before Lamar Sparks chopped a single to left. After a flyout moved both runners to second and third, TT Bowens smacked a single to right-center to plate two, giving Delmarva an early 2-0 edge.

Janvrin again sparked a rally in the third. He beat out an infield single to start the inning and after a strikeout swiped second base. Darell Hernaiz then smoked a single to center to score Janvrin and make it 3-0.

The Hillcats battled back to tie the game in the fourth. With one away, Johnathan Rodriguez lined a single to left and one out later Miguel Jerez worked a free pass. Alexfri Planez then belted a three-run homer to left-center, his ninth of the year, to knot the game at 3-3.

From that point forward however, it was all Shorebirds. Lamar Sparks started the fifth with a double and then moved to third on a flyout. Bowens was then hit by a pitch to put two aboard. After a strikeout, Andrew Martinez walked to load the bases before another free pass to Yorkislandy Alvarez forced home a run and gave Delmarva the lead.

Wilkin Grullon bashed a leadoff solo homer, his first of the year, in the sixth to further increase the lead. Janvrin was the next batter and he proceeded to leg out a triple to left with Sparks then singling to plate Janvrin to extend the Delmarva cushion to 6-3.

Jean Carmona provided the capper with a solo shot of his own, his fourth of the season, to begin the seventh and bring the game to its final line of 7-3.

Jensen Elliott (1-1) picked up the win for the Shorebirds with three shutout innings in relief. Elliott allowed two hits and a walk while striking out three.

Alec Wisely (1-1) took the loss for the Hillcats out of the bullpen. Wisely surrendered three runs in 1.1 innings on four hits and two walks, striking out three.

Neither team’s starter factored into the final decision. Griffin McLarty went four innings for the Shorebirds, allowing three runs on three hits and two walks while tying a career-high with seven strikeouts. Juan Zapata also went four frames and allowed three runs, giving up six hits and two walks while punching out two.

Following a 3-for-3 performance on Friday night, Janvrin went 2-for-4 with a triple and three runs scored on Saturday. Sparks continued to swing a hot stick, finishing 3-for-5 with a double, two runs, and an RBI.

Lynchburg scored all of their runs on the Planez three-run homer but had plenty of other chances. The Hillcats stranded eight in the game and finished just 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position.

The Shorebirds and Hillcats wrap up their series on Sunday, July 25 at Perdue Stadium. Jake Lyons (2-1, 3.55) is scheduled to take the ball for the Shorebirds against Josh Wolf (0-3, 6.32) for the Hillcats. First pitch is scheduled for 5:05 p.m. with pregame coverage beginning at 4:50 p.m. on MiLB.TV and Fox Sports 960 AM with Sam Jellinek and Nick Lewis 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.