Roberto Martinez’s Three-RBI Night Not Enough as Eight-Inning Collapse Dooms ‘Birds

SALISBURY, MD. – The Delmarva Shorebirds saw a late lead slip away and an ensuing comeback bid fall just short in a 10-7 loss to the Augusta GreenJackets on Thursday night at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.

The loss is the sixth straight for the Shorebirds (34-64, 13-20) against the GreenJackets (49-48, 13-18).

Delmarva broke the ice in the first inning. After loading the bases, a balk forced home Elio Prado with the first run of the game.

Augusta tied it in the fourth. With two outs, Brandon Parker singled and Connor Blair then doubled him home to knot the score at 1-1.

The Shorebirds responded immediately in the bottom of the fourth. Stiven Acevedo began the inning with a single and Roberto Martinez then ripped a two-run homer, his second of the season. Creed Willems followed that up with a triple before scoring on an Erinson Placencia sacrifice fly to make it 4-1.

Augusta ate into their deficit on an Eliezel Stevens solo homer in the fifth, his second of the season, making it 4-2.

Augusta came all the way back and then some in the eighth. The first three reached to start the inning and then Blair walked to force home a run. A passed ball then allowed another run to score to tie the game. After an intentional walk loaded the bases again, Victor De Hoyos beat out a fielder’s choice, allowing the go-ahead run to score from third. Augusta tacked on five more after taking the lead: two on a Stevens pop-up single, one on a Geraldo Quintero RBI single, one on a wild pitch scoring Quintero, and another on a Brandol Mezquita infield single.

The Shorebirds did not go quietly into the night however. Isaac De Leon and Frederick Bencosme each walked to begin the bottom of the eight. Stiven Acevedo then singled home De Leon before Martinez doubled in another run. Brayan Hernandez was then hit by a pitch to load the bases. Two outs later, Noelberth Romero worked a bases loaded walk to make it 10-7. Mishael Deson gave the ‘Birds a chance to take the lead with a deep drive to center, but it died on the warning track, sealing the ‘Birds fate.

Peyton Williams (2-2) collected the win for Augusta out of the bullpen, throwing a scoreless inning without allowing a hit or walk, striking out one.

Carson King (0-1) suffered the loss, failing to record an out allowing four runs (three earned) on two hits and two walks.

Tyler Owens earned his third save of the year for Augusta with two no-hit innings, walking two and striking out three.

The Shorebirds continue their series with the GreenJackets on Thursday, August 5 at Perdue Stadium. Darlin Alcantara (0-1, 5.60) takes the mound for Delmarva against AJ Smith-Shawver (3-4, 5.05) for Augusta. First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m with pregame coverage beginning at 6:50 p.m. on MiLV.TV and 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.