SALISBURY, MD - The The Lakewood BlueClaws plated a single run in four straight frames to scratch out a 4-2 win against the Delmarva Shorebirds on Tuesday night at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.Dominic Pipkin (2-1) earned the win in relief for the BlueClaws (15-29), going three scoreless one-hit innings and
SALISBURY, MD - The The Lakewood BlueClaws plated a single run in four straight frames to scratch out a 4-2 win against the Delmarva Shorebirds on Tuesday night at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.
Dominic Pipkin (2-1) earned the win in relief for the BlueClaws (15-29), going three scoreless one-hit innings and striking out two. Matthew Hammonds (1-1) swallowed the loss for the Shorebirds (33-10) after he allowed two runs on four hits in two innings while striking out three. Mark Potter earned his first save of the year for the BlueClaws, throwing a scoreless ninth, working around an error and a walk by striking out two.
Seamus Curran opened the scoring in the bottom of the third for Delmarva with a leadoff bullet over the wall in right for a solo home run, his seventh of the year, to make it 1-0.
After a groundout to begin the top of the fifth for Lakewood, Malvin Matos singled, Hunter Stovall walked, and Jake Holmes singled to load the bases. Following a strikeout, Matt Kroon singled to left field to score Matos, but Stovall was thrown out at the plate by Robbie Thorburn to keep the game tied at 1-1.
Will Robertson drew a leadoff walk for Delmarva in the fifth and eventually took second on a wild pitch With two away, Ryan Ogren smacked a single to center, scoring Robertson and pushing the Shorebirds back in front 2-1.
A Luis Garcia double began the BlueClaws' sixth inning, and Abrahan Gutierrez pushed him to third on a single. Carlos De La Cruz knotted the game at 2-2 when he drove home Garcia with a sacrifice fly to right.
Lakewood put the leadoff man on base again in the seventh thanks to a Stovall double. Stovall advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and remained there after a strikeout. Kroon then doubled over Robertson's head in right to plate Stovall and give the Blue Claws a 3-2 advantage.
Ben Pelletier singled to open the BlueClaws' eighth. Following a strikeout, De La Cruz singled, putting runners at first and second. Matos came up and drilled a ball to right center field scoring Pelletier, but De La Cruz was thrown out at the plate on a perfect relay from right, leaving Lakewood's lead at 4-2.
Delmarva put runners at first and second in the ninth thanks to an error and walk, but Potter punched out back-to-back hitters to end the game.
Curran finished 1-for-3 with a solo homer and also worked a walk for the Shorebirds. Adam Hall ended 1-for-2 with two walks.
Kroon led the BlueClaws at the plate, finishing 2-for-5 with a double and two RBIs. Matos also collected two hits in a 2-for-3 performance, including an RBI double.
Shorebirds starter Grayson Rodriguez did not factor into the decision. Rodriguez went five innings, allowing just one run on four hits while walking two and striking out six. Lakewood's Jhordany Mezquita also ended with a no-decision after working five innings, allowing two runs on three hits while walking three and collecting four strikeouts.
The Shorebirds continue their nine-game, eight-day homestand against the BlueClaws on Wednesday morning. Gray Fenter (3-1, 2.25) draws the start for Delmarva while Lakewood counters with Francisco Morales (0-3, 5.54). First pitch is set for 10:35 a.m. with gates opening at 9:30. Wednesday morning at Perdue Stadium is a Field of Dreams game presented by Chesapeake Health Care and a Silver Sluggers game presented by Peninsula Home Care. Pregame coverage on Fox Sports 960 AM and the MiLB First Pitch App begins at 10:20 with Will DeBoer and Sam Jellinek on the call.
