Rom, 'Birds Blot Out Suns

SALISBURY, MD - The triumvirate of Drew Rom, Matt De La Rosa, and Tyler Joyner combined for a four-hit shutout as the Delmarva Shorebirds downed the Hagerstown Suns 3-0 on Saturday night in the first Governor's Cup game of the year at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.
Starter Rom (2-0) was stellar for the Shorebirds (26-6) to pick up the win. The lefty tossed five scoreless innings, allowing just one hit while walking three and punching out five. The Orioles' No. 28 prospect stranded runners on in each of his last four innings and has now thrown 14.2 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run.
Francys Peguero is the hard luck loser for the Suns (16-19), working five innings of one-run, three-hit ball. Matt De La Rosa took the baton from Rom and tossed two scorless for his third hold, and Tyler Joyner nailed down his second save by finishing off the eighth and ninth.
The Shorebirds put together a two-out rally in the first inning to open the scoring. Doran Turchin worked a walk and moved to second when Cadyn Grenier was hit by a pitch. Daniel Fajardo then fisted a ball that split the infielders up the middle for an RBI single, scoring Turchin and putting Delmarva ahead 1-0.
Despite threatening throughout, neither side could break through again until the Shorebirds found a rally with one out in the eighth. Turchin walked and Grenier followed with a single. A wild pitch allowed the runners to advance to second and third. After a groundout, another wild pitch on ball four to Nick Horvath allowed Turchin to cross home plate with Grenier advancing to third. With Jean Carlos Encarnacion hitting, Horvath swiped second base as catcher Israel Pineda's throw sailed into center field, allowing Grenier to score from third and put Delmarva up 3-0.
The Suns made things interesting in the ninth by bringing the tying run to the plate with one out. Joyner was able to buckle down, however, and induced back-to-back flyouts to center to end the game.
Fajardo's RBI knock in the first came on the heels of his pinch-hit RBI single the prior game in the bottom of the 10th. Fajardo has been behind the dish for all four Shorebird shutouts this season; his catcher's ERA now stands at a paltry 1.92.
Despite not collecting a hit, Turchin scored two of Delmarva's three runs thanks to working two free passes. Horvath finished the game 1-for-2 with a single, walk, stolen base, and hit batsman.
Jacob Rhinesmith had one of the Suns' four hits and drew two walks. Omar Maeregildo smacked the only extra-base hit of the game, a two-out double in the second. Hagerstown couldn't solve the Shorebirds' pitchers with men on base, batting 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position and stranding 11 runners.
The Shorebirds go for the early series win over the Suns as the Governor's Cup continues on Sunday afternoon. Southpaw Nick Vespi (1-1, 5.49) draws the start for Delmarva against Hagerstown righty Tomas Alastre (2-2, 5.70). First pitch is scheduled 2:05 p.m. with gates opening at 1:00. As part of Mother's Day, the first 300 moms through the Perdue Stadium gates will receive a rose thanks to Herl's Bath & Tile Solution. It's also Perdue Strike Out Hunger Sunday and a postgame Kids Run the Bases game presented by Chili's. Pregame coverage on Fox Sports 960 AM and the MiLB First Pitch App begins at 1:50 p.m. with Will DeBoer and Sam Jellinek on the call.