SALISBURY, MD - Branden Becker came off the bench and walked off with a bases-loaded single in the bottom of the 10th, lifting the Delmarva Shorebirds to a 5-4 win over the Lakewood BlueClaws on Saturday night at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.With the Shorebirds (12-4) down 4-3 and playing in
SALISBURY, MD - Branden Becker came off the bench and walked off with a bases-loaded single in the bottom of the 10th, lifting the Delmarva Shorebirds to a 5-4 win over the Lakewood BlueClaws on Saturday night at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.
With the Shorebirds (12-4) down 4-3 and playing in their first game under the new extra-innings rules, Zach Jarrett began the bottom of the 10th on second base and advanced to third on a balk from BlueClaws (8-8) pitcher Luis Ramirez. Seamus Curran then served a line drive single that fell between the center and right fielders, scoring Jarrett to tie the game. Trevor Craport and Ryan Ripken reached on back-to-back errors to load the bases and bring up Mason McCoy's spot in the order. Becker came up to pinch hit and lined a 2-1 fastball straight up the middle for a base hit, scoring Curran and setting off a celebration for the 4,427 on hand at Perdue Stadium.
Scott Burke (1-0) picked up the win after allowing an unearned run but retiring all three to face him in the 10th. Ramirez (0-3) took the loss after allowing the two unearned runs in 1.1 innings.
For the second straight game Lakewood opened the scoring in the top of the first. Jhailyn Ortiz drew a two-out walk, and Quincy Nieporte doubled him home to make it 1-0.
The Shorebirds countered with three in the bottom of the second. After a Craport walk with one out, Ripken dropped a line drive into left center for a single. Kevin Markham misplayed the ball in center, allowing Craport and Ripken to take extra bases. McCoy then walked to load them up. Jean Carrillo then struck out, but Frank Crinella with a sharp grounder past short, scoring Craport and Ripken. Kirvin Moesquit followed by punching a liner into right to bring home McCoy and make it 3-1 for the home side.
The BlueClaws drew even at 3-3 in the fourth when Gregori Rivero singled home a pair with two outs. Both offenses stalled from there as Delmarva and Lakewood each squandered multiple scoring chances in the regulation innings.
Lakewood started the top of the 10th with Yahir Gurrola on second base, and Dalton Guthrie bunted him over to third on the first pitch. Burke then threw wild with Markham at bat, allowing Gurrola to score the go-ahead run and setting up the Shorebirds' heroics in the home half of the 10th.
Curran paced the Shorebird attack, going 3-for-5 with the game-tying RBI and game-winning run. Crinella finished 1-for-4 with two RBIs, and T.J. Nichting extended his hitting streak to eight games with a seventh-inning single.
Rivero led the way for the BlueClaws, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
Brenan Hanifee became the second Delmarva starter to go seven innings in a no-decision effort. The No. 10 Orioles prospect allowed three runs on four hits over seven frames, walking two and striking out eight. Hanifee came into the game with just four strikeouts over his first 12 innings before tripling his total, including an "immaculate inning" to strike out the side on nine pitches in the second.
Lakewood starter Damon Jones lasted just three innings and allowed three runs on five hits with two walks and six strikeouts.
The Shorebirds aim for the series split with the BlueClaws on Sunday afternoon. Zac Lowther (2-0, 0.00) takes an 11-inning scoreless streak into the matinee against Lakewood's Connor Brogdon (0-1, 7.11). First pitch is set for 2:05 p.m. with gates opening at 1:00. After Sunday's Shorebirds game, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore baseball team will host Delaware State in the first HBCU Classic at Perdue Stadium. Sunday is also a Hit the Books game presented by Dr. James M. Crouse at the Brace Place, 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 1:50 with Will DeBoer on the call.
