SALISBURY, MD - The Delmarva Shorebirds woke up early and split a doubleheader with the Greensboro Grasshoppers on Wednesday morning. The Shorebirds (28-8) took the opener 3-2, while the Grasshoppers (24-13) rebounded to win the second game 4-1.Game 1Grayson Rodriguez (5-0) continued his dominance on the hill for the Shorebirds,
SALISBURY, MD - The Delmarva Shorebirds woke up early and split a doubleheader with the Greensboro Grasshoppers on Wednesday morning. The Shorebirds (28-8) took the opener 3-2, while the Grasshoppers (24-13) rebounded to win the second game 4-1.
Game 1
Grayson Rodriguez (5-0) continued his dominance on the hill for the Shorebirds, allowing two runs on three hits in five innings while walking one and striking out six. The Orioles' No. 5 prospect moved into a tie for first in the SAL in wins and now leads the circuit with 1.45 ERA.
Osvaldo Bido (5-2) suffered defeat at Delmarva's hands for the second straight start, surrendering three runs on eight hits in 4.2 innings. Tim Naughton nailed down his seventh save with a scoreless sixth and seventh.
Robbie Thorburn wasted no time springing to life in the early morning, pounding the game's fourth pitch over the right center wall for the Shorebirds' first leadoff home run of the season. The blast was the third of Thorburn's career, all during the month of May.
The Shorebirds used some two-out hustle to increase their lead in the fifth. Adam Hall legged out an infield single, then Cadyn Grenier followed with a sharp grounder to the mound that kicked off of Bido's foot for another single. Seeing the ball trickle into right field, Hall sprinted to third base, and on the throw to try and get Hall, Grenier motored into second, sliding in just ahead of the return throw. Doran Turchin came up next, fought back on an 0-2 count to get it to 2-2, and lashed a single into left, scoring Hall and Grenier to make it 3-0 Delmarva.
The runs proved paramount as the Grasshoppers answered in the home fifth. Michael Gretler notched a one-out single, then after a fielder's choice, Brett Kinneman took Rodriguez deep down the right field foul pole. The two-run blast got Greensboro back within 3-2.
Naughton handled things in the final two innings, though, giving up just a soft single and sitting the Grasshoppers down in order to finish the job in the seventh.
Thorburn finished 2-for-4 with the leadoff home run for his ninth multi-hit game of the month. Turchin went 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
Rodolfo Castro managed half of the Grasshoppers' four hits, going 2-for-3.
Game 2
After Colin Selby allowed one run on two hits in a four-inning spot start, Cam Alldred (1-0) picked up the win for the Grasshoppers with a perfect fifth and sixth out of the bullpen. Ryan Conroy (0-1) battled but took the loss in his Shorebirds debut, allowing four runs (two earned) on six hits in 3.2 innings. Yerry De Los Santos nailed down his first save with a scoreless seventh.
Greensboro struck a big blow, with Shorebirds assistance, in the second. Raul Siri reached on a one-out error, then Zac Susi singled to put two on. Lolo Sanchez got hit on the foot to load the bases, and a wild pitch let Siri sprint home with the game's first run. Jonah Davis followed with an RBI base knock to left, and Mason Martin hit into a run-scoring fielder's choice to make it 3-0 Grasshoppers.
The Shorebirds countered in the fourth. Grenier laced a one-out double, then two batters later Ryne Ogren slashed an RBI triple into the right field corner, getting Delmarva within 3-1.
The Grasshoppers answered in the home fourth as Sanchez legged a two-out infield hit and Davis tripled to that same right field corner, giving the game its final margin.
Grenier's double and Ogren's RBI triple were the only two hits in the game for the Shorebirds, a season low.
Sanchez finished 2-for-3 with a pair of runs at the top of the order for the Grasshoppers. Davis batted right behind him and went 2-for-3 with a triple and two RBIs.
The loss in the second game snapped a nine-game road winning streak for the Shorebirds. Delmarva has now split both doubleheaders they've played this season after taking one-of-two against Augusta on April 27. The Shorebirds have twin bills scheduled for Saturday in Kannapolis and Sunday, May 26 at home against Hagerstown, making it three doubleheaders in a 12-day span.
The Shorebirds go for the series win in their finale against the Grasshoppers on Thursday night. Gray Fenter (2-1, 2.33) is on the bump for Delmarva against Greensboro's Nicolas Economos (4-1, 2.60). First pitch is set for 7:00 p.m., and pregame coverage on Fox Sports 960 AM and the MiLB First Pitch App begins at 6:45 with Will DeBoer on the call.
