Ward Homers, Claws Blank Cyclones 4-0 on Saturday Night

JERSEY SHORE, NJ - Nick Ward homered and five BlueClaws pitchers combined on a 4-0 shutout of Brooklyn on Saturday night at Maimonides Park on Coney Island.

Jersey Shore (4-3/39-33) has split the first four games of their series with Brooklyn (5-2/33-39).

The BlueClaws opened the scoring in the first inning on a SAC fly from Rixon Wingrove, his team-best 46th RBI of the season, fourth most in the league.

Ward gave the BlueClaws a 2-0 lead in the fifth with his sixth home run of the season. Aramis Garcia, who joined the BlueClaws on a minor league rehab assignment from Lehigh Valley on Saturday, added a SAC fly to give Jersey Shore a 3-0 lead. Garcia then doubled home a run in the seventh to push the lead to 4-0.

That was plenty for Zach Haake (1-0). The right-hander joined the BlueClaws on Saturday from Clearwater and struck out six over his five scoreless innings. The right-hander was originally in the Royals system and signed with the Phillies in March.

Haake came out after five innings and gave way to Cam Wynne, Malik Binns, Wesley Moore, and Jordi Martinez each threw a scoreless inning in the win. The BlueClaws bullpen has now allowed just eight earned runs in their last 56.1 innings over the last 12 games.

Hao-Yu Lee had three hits in the win while Ward and Erick Brito had two hits apiece for Jersey Shore.

The teams continue their series on Sunday at 2:00. LHP Rafael Marcano is the scheduled starter for Jersey Shore.

-Jersey Shore BlueClaws-