Curran's Jolt Caps Late 'Birds Rally

SALISBURY, MD - The Delmarva Shorebirds scored twice in the bottom of the ninth to tie and set up Seamus Curran for the walkoff single in the 10th, stunning the Charleston RiverDogs 6-5 on Saturday night at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.
With the Shorebirds (21-20, 56-52) down 5-3, Cadyn Grenier led off the ninth with a walk. Jean Carrillo then rolled a single through the right side, and Grenier rounded second to sprint for third. Frederick Cuevas sold out on a throw from right that got past the backup man, and Grenier scampered to the plate ahead of another wild throw from RiverDogs (18-23, 51-58) pitcher Daniel Alvarez. The two errors allowed Carrillo to advance all the way to third with the potential tying run. After a strikeout, Mason McCoy shot a grounder off the mound and up the middle for a single, scoring pinch-runner Trevor Craport to tie the game at 5-5.
Delmarva stranded Charleston's free runner in the 10th, and Jean Carlos Encarnacion began the home 10th at second base, eventually moving up to third on a wild pitch. Curran fouled off five two-strike pitches, and on Alvarez's ninth offering he laced a grounder over the first base bag and down the right field line, plating Encarnacion and setting up a celebration near second base as the robust crowd of 7,112 roared in delight.
Diogenes Almengo (1-0) earned his first win for the Shorebirds with two perfect innings in relief, including a 1-2-3 10th that featured a fielder's choice to cut down the free runner. Alvarez (0-1) took the loss after blowing the save and giving up three runs (one earned) in an inning-plus.
Charleston broke the ice in the top of the second as Jason Lopez parked a solo home run deep to left. Mitchell Hansen tripled three batters later and strolled home on a balk called against Delmarva starter Luis Perez, putting the RiverDogs up 2-0.
The Shorebirds seized control back with two out in the bottom of the sixth. Encarnacion belted a triple into the right field corner, and Curran blasted a two-run home run to right center - 435 feet from home plate and 108 miles per hour off the bat - to tie it at 2-2.
The Curran homer knocked starter Roansy Contreras out of the game, and Zach Jarrett greeted Daniel Ramos with a double down the left field line. Will Robertson then looped a single into right, scoring Jarrett to put Delmarva up 3-2.
The RiverDogs lunged back in front in the eighth. With two out and men on second and third, Lopez came through again with a scorching double to left. Jerry Seitz followed with a single to bring around Lopez, giving Charleston a 5-3 lead.
Delmarva stranded two on in the eighth before forcing a rewrite in the bottom of the ninth.
Curran finished 2-for-4 with his 12th home run and three RBIs, including the game-winner. Encarnacion notched his second multi-hit game in as many nights with the Shorebirds, going 2-for-5 with a double, triple, and two runs scored.
Lopez nearly won the game singlehandedly for the RiverDogs, going 3-for-4 with a homer, two doubles, two runs, and three RBIs.
Perez turned in his fourth Quality Start in six outings for the Shorebirds, allowing two runs on five hits over 6.1 innings while walking none and striking out five. Contreras gave up two runs on four hits over 5.2 innings in his own no-decision for the RiverDogs.
The late rally gave the Shorebirds a rare late come-from-behind win; Delmarva is now 2-34 when trailing after the eighth inning.
The Shorebirds goes for the series win over the RiverDogs in the Sunday evening finale. Brenan Hanifee (7-5, 2.89) gets the nod for Delmarva against Charleston's Reiver Sanmartin (1-4, 4.67) First pitch is set for 5:05 p.m. with gates opening at 4:00. Sunday evening's game is included for those in the Shorebirds Summer Reading Program for Delaware and Virginia, presented by Eastern Shore McDonald's. It's also Perdue Strike Out Hunger Sunday, and postgame Kids Run the Bases presented by Chili's. Pregame coverage on Fox Sports 960 AM and the MiLB First Pitch App begins at 4:50 with Will DeBoer on the call.