BlueClaws record first victory

The Lakewood BlueClaws came through in dramatic fashion on "Guaranteed Win Day."

Sean Gamble singled home Julian Williams in the bottom of the 13th inning to give the BlueClaws their first win of the season, an 8-7 triumph over the Delmarva Shorebirds on Saturday at FirstEnergy Park.

Mired in a season-opening nine-game losing streak, Lakewood guaranteed a win in the third of a four-game series. The BlueClaws rallied for four runs in the bottom of the ninth before Gamble came through in extra innings.

With two outs in the 13th, Williams walked on a full count. He was running on the pitch when Gamble hit a line drive to right-center field. Williams beat the throw from right fielder Zachary Davis, ending the nearly four-hour marathon.

Delmarva (7-3) was three outs away from its fifth straight win, but reliever Blake Owen could not protect a 7-3 lead in the bottom of the ninth. Aaron Cheesman delivered an RBI single, Welinson Baez lifted a sacrifice fly and Williams doubled in a run to get Lakewood within 7-6.

Josh Potter relieved Owen and gave up a sacrifice fly to Cooper Osteen that forced extra innings.

Andy Barb (1-1) worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the 12th and struck out five in four scoreless innings for the win. The loss went to Potter (1-2), who yielded one run on four hits in 4 1/3 frames.

Williams led the BlueClaws' 15-hit attack by going 3-for-5 with three doubles and three runs scored.

Davis drove in three runs and Rafael Rodriguez collected three hits, including a pair of doubles, for the Shorebirds.