Five-Run Ninth Inning Pushes Mudcats to Series Victory
Shorebirds Fall Short in Final Game of Homestand Five-Run Ninth Inning Pushes Mudcats to Series Victory SALISBURY, MD: The Delmarva Shorebirds (14-11) came up short by a score of 7-3 against the Carolina Mudcats (15-10) in the final game of their two-week homestand. The Mudcats grabbed the lead in the
Shorebirds Fall Short in Final Game of Homestand
Five-Run Ninth Inning Pushes Mudcats to Series Victory
*SALISBURY, MD: *The Delmarva Shorebirds (14-11) came up short by a score of 7-3 against the Carolina Mudcats (15-10) in the final game of their two-week homestand.
The Mudcats grabbed the lead in the third inning on an RBI single by Matt Wood, an error on the play brought home another run to make it 2-0 Carolina after three innings.
It remained 2-0 into the seventh inning until Creed Willems delivered with a game-tying, two-run homer to even the score at two. Elio Prado tripled immediately after the home run by Willems, but Delmarva was unable to get him home as Carolina pitcher Tanner Shears, struck out the next two batters followed by a groundout to keep the game tied after seven complete.
Neither team would score in the eighth, but in the ninth, the Mudcats compiled a major threat by loading the bases with one out. They'd break the tie on a hit-by-pitch to Jace Avina to give Carolina a 3-2 lead. The Mudcats then broke the game open on a bases-clearing double by Jesus Parra to make it 6-2. They'd add one more on an error later in the inning to put them ahead 7-2.
Delmarva pushed across one run in the ninth on a groundout off the bat of Luis Gonzalez as Elio Prado scored, but it was not enough as Carolina finished off the Shorebirds to win the game 7-3, clinching them a series victory.
Jeison Peña (4-0) earned the win in relief for Carolina with Luis Sanchez (0-1) taking the loss for Delmarva.
Creed Willems was the lone run-producer for the Shorebirds on Sunday afternoon as his two-run home run in the seventh was his seventh of the season to tie him for the Carolina League lead. Elio Prado reached all four times with a single, triple, and two walks. Juan Nuñez also provided a strong outing in relief tossing nearly four perfect innings as he retired 12 in a row after a leadoff single in the fourth, striking out 4 along the way.
Delmarva now heads on the road for two weeks starting on Tuesday night in Kinston, North Carolina for the first of six versus the Down East Wood Ducks, starting at 6:00 p.m. from Grainger Stadium.