Early Deficit Dooms ‘Birds in Loss to Red Sox

Delmarva Wraps 2021 Season at 4:05 p.m. at Salem on Sunday

By Sam Jellinek

September 18, 2021

SALEM, VA - The Delmarva Shorebirds could not overcome a six-run second inning as they were downed by the Salem Red Sox 11-5 on Saturday night at Salem Memorial Ballpark. The Shorebirds (67-52) were scoreless with the Red Sox (71-48) after one frame, but Salem exploded with two away in

SALEM, VA - The Delmarva Shorebirds could not overcome a six-run second inning as they were downed by the Salem Red Sox 11-5 on Saturday night at Salem Memorial Ballpark.

The Shorebirds (67-52) were scoreless with the Red Sox (71-48) after one frame, but Salem exploded with two away in the second.

With men at the corners and two outs, Alex Erro started the two out rally for Salem with an RBI double off the wall in right. After a walk, Ceddanne Rafaela laced a two-run double before a passed ball tacked on another run. Tyler McDonough capped the frame with a two-run homer, his third of the season.

The Shorebirds rallied by scraping back two runs in the third. Three straight one-out singles were followed by a Connor Norby sac fly and after a walk reloaded the bases, Coby Mayo was hit by a pitch to force home a run to cut the deficit to 6-2.

Salem got those runs back and more in the fourth. McDonough legged out a one-out triple and one batter later scored on Tyler Miller’s single. Matthew Lugo then drilled a two-run homer, his fourth of the year, to make it 9-2 Salem.

Salem continued to pour it on in the fifth with RBI singles for Rafaela and Nick Decker to extend the lead out to 11-2.

Delmarva made a late push by plating three in the ninth on an RBI fielder’s choice for Colton Cowser, RBI double for Jacob Teter, and RBI single for John Rhodes, but it was too little too late and Salem held on for the 11-5 victory.

Jacob Webb (2-0) earned the win out of the bullpen for Salem. He threw two shutout innings, allowing just a hit while striking out three.

Houston Roth (8-4) started for Delmarva and was tagged with the loss. Roth conceded six runs on five hits and a walk, striking out one, over 1.2 innings.

The Shorebirds will conclude their 2021 season against Salem on Sunday, September 19. Ty Blach (0-0, 0.75) is scheduled to go for the Shorebirds against Bradley Blalock (3-6, 4.43) for the Red Sox. First pitch is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. with pregame coverage beginning at 3:50 on Fox Sports 960 AM 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.