SALISBURY, MD - The Delmarva Shorebirds rode a strong spot start from Cody Dube to a 3-1 win over the West Virginia Power on Sunday evening at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.Dube (2-2) finished his season on a high note for the Shorebirds (30-38, 59-77), allowing one run on six hits
SALISBURY, MD - The Delmarva Shorebirds rode a strong spot start from Cody Dube to a 3-1 win over the West Virginia Power on Sunday evening at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.
Dube (2-2) finished his season on a high note for the Shorebirds (30-38, 59-77), allowing one run on six hits in five innings, his longest outing of the year. He walked none and struck out four. Matt Eckelman (5-6) took the loss for the Power (38-31, 68-67), allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits in 4.2 innings.
Francisco Jimenez picked up his fifth hold with three scoreless innings, and Jake Bray locked it down in the ninth for his 18th save of the year.
West Virginia got its only run in the top of the second inning on a Ryan Nagle solo homer to right center. The Power squandered later chances, stranding two on in the fourth and a man at third base in the fifth. Dube struck out Albert Baur to end the fifth inning and his night.
The Shorebirds backed Dube with a pair in the bottom of the fifth. Gerrion Grim and Chris Shaw hit back-to-back singles to lead off. Milton Ramos then hit a grounder to second for a force out, but shortstop Adrian Valerio lofted the return throw into the first base dugout. Grim scored the tying run and Ramos advanced to second on the error. Two batters later, Daniel Fajardo dropped a soft line drive into right field for a base hit. Ramos slid in with the go-ahead run, putting Delmarva on top 2-1.
With one out in the bottom of the sixth, Preston Palmeiro singled off the feet of West Virginia reliever Ronny Agustin. After a strikeout, Grim hit a slow roller down the third base line. Hunter Owen came up firing to first but threw it wild. The ball came to a rest at the edge of the tarp, and Palmeiro scored all the way from first to make it 3-1.
Jiménez scattered two doubles across his three scoreless innings for his team-best fifth hold. Bray walked Andrew Walker with one out but struck out pinch-hitter Oneil Cruz and Garrett Brown to ice it.
Grim finished 2-for-4 with a run to lead the Shorebirds, while Fajardo went 1-for-3 with an RBI.
Nagle's second-inning blast was his third home run of the season for the Power. Raul Hernandez had two early hits.
The win snaps Delmarva's six-game losing streak against West Virginia dating back to August 3.
The Shorebirds close out the 2017 season on Labor Day Monday afternoon with Hunter Harvey (0-0, 0.00) getting the start against the Power's Eduardo Vera (7-7, 3.45). First pitch is 2:05 p.m. with gates opening at 1:00. Monday is Fan Appreciation Day at Perdue Stadium, as well as the final 47 ABC $2 Buck Monday, featuring $2 Upper Reserved tickets, hot dogs, and Pepsi products. Pregame coverage on Fox Sports AM 960 and the MiLB First Pitch App begins at 1:50 with Will DeBoer on the call.
