'Birds Outfox Suns in Opener

SALISBURY, MD - The Delmarva Shorebirds traded blows with the Hagerstown Suns and came away 8-7 winners on Sunday evening at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.
With game tied 6-6 in the seventh, the Shorebirds (2-2, 37-34) needed to find some offense, and Mason McCoy was the man of the moment. Kirvin Moesquit led off with a walk, stole second base, and advanced to third on a throwing error. McCoy then came up a lifted a fly ball into center for a sac fly, deep enough to score Moesquit to put the Shorebirds in front 7-6.
Delmarva tacked on one more in the bottom of the eighth. Branden Becker started the inning with a double, and Max Hogan singled him home two batters later to make it 8-6.
The Suns (0-3, 27-44) made things interesting in the ninth. Oliver Ortiz singled with one out and advanced to third on a misplay in right. With Hagerstown down to its final strike, Paul Panaccione lined an RBI single to left, trimming Delmarva's lead to 8-7. On came Nick Vespi from the bullpen, and Vespi put a lid on things by forcing Luis Garcia to ground out to third.
Scott Burke (2-2) picked up the win for the Shorebirds with 3.1 strong relief innings; he gave up just one unearned run on two hits. Andrew Lee (2-2) took the loss for the Suns after giving up the go-ahead unearned run in the seventh. Vespi needed just two pitches to notch his third save.
The Shorebirds opened offensive proceedings in the bottom of the second. Trevor Craport took one off the body to lead things off, and Becker followed with a single. Will Robertson came up next and slashed a liner to the right-center gap for a double, scoring both runners. Robertson then took third on a groundout, and Suns catcher Jeyner Baez's pickoff attempt at third went wide of the bag, allowing Robertson to score to give the Shorebirds a 3-0 lead.
The Suns had a quick answer in third. Baez led off the inning with a walk, Nick Choruby singled, and Ortiz walked to load the bases. Back-to-back RBI singles from Yasel Antuna and Panaccione cut the Delmarva lead to 3-2, then Garcia hit a sac fly to center to tie it and Antuna eventually scored on a wild pitch, giving the Suns a 4-3 lead.
Hagerstown tacked on two more in the fifth. Antuna blasted an opposite-field homer to left to lead off the inning. Garcia singled two batters later, and Omar Meregildo followed two batters later with an RBI double, pushing the Suns lead to 6-3.
Delmarva had an answer in the home half of the fifth. Mason McCoy belted a two-out double, and Zach Jarrett walked to put runners on first and second. Craport then pushed a grounder to third, but Garcia overthrew first base, allowing McCoy to score. Becker then lofted a double down the right field line, plating two more for the Shorebirds to tie it at 6-6 and set up the go-ahead rally in the seventh.
Becker had a huge night for the Shorebirds, going 3-for-4 with two doubles, two runs, and two RBIs. Craport went 1-for-3 with a double and two runs, while Moesquit's stolen base gives him a SAL-leading 30 on the season.
Antuna led the way for the Suns, going 2-for-5 with a home run, two runs, and two RBIs. Panaccione entered as a replacement for Cole Freeman in the first and went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs.
Neither starting pitcher factored into the decision. Delmarva's Matthias Dietz lasted 5.1 innings, allowing six runs on six hits while walking six and striking out five. Hagerstown's Tomas Alastre gave up six runs (two earned) on five hits in his five innings of work.
The Shorebirds continue their Governor's Cup series against the Suns on Monday night. Orioles pitcher Chris Tillman is scheduled to make a rehab start for Delmarva; Hagerstown counters with Kyle Johnston (0-2, 3.63). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. with gates opening at 6:00. Monday is 47 ABC $2 Buck Monday presented by Wicomico Heating and Air Conditioning. Pregame coverage on Fox Sports 960 AM and the MiLB First Pitch App begins at 6:50 with Will DeBoer and Drew Williams on the call.