Intimidators Edge Shorebirds, 3-2
Salisbury, MD - The Kannapolis Intimidators (31-32) took advantage of an eighth inning error by the Delmarva Shorebirds (22-42) to win game one, 3-2, at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium on Tuesday night.
The Shorebirds scored first in the first inning. Gregory Lorenzo led off with a single and stole his 37th base of the season to get into scoring position. Then, Adrian Marin singled to right-center field to give the Shorebirds a 1-0 lead.
Kannapolis leveled the score in the fourth inning. Jason Coats pulled a one out double to left-center field and Michael Marjama singled to tie the game.
In the sixth inning, Kannapolis took the lead on a sacrifice fly to center by Marjama.
Both starting pitchers went six innings. Parker Bridwell allowed six hits and two runs, while Jefferson Olacio yielded two hits and no earned runs. Bridwell fanned three batters to increase his strikeout total to 141 for the season, most by a Shorebirds pitcher since 2009 (Cole McCurry, 145).
The Shorebirds tied the game in the seventh inning. Lucas Herbst reached on a throwing error by new pitcher Andre Wheeler. He moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Steel Russell and scored on a two-out single to center by Torsten Boss.
In the eighth inning, the Intimidators regained the lead. Jacob May, who went 2-for-3, led off with a single. May advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Tim Anderson. Then, May broke to third on a steal attempt and Russell sailed the throw into left field, allowing May to score.
Wheeler tossed a scoreless eighth inning and David Putnam retired the Shorebirds in order in the ninth with two strikeouts to end the game.
The Shorebirds managed just four hits.
The Shorebirds and Intimidators play game two of the series on Wednesday, August 28. LHP Bennett Parry is the scheduled starter for Delmarva.