Ian Locke
Norfolk Tides Lose 10-2
The Columbus Clippers used a big second inning to sink the Tides 10-2 Saturday night at Harbor Park.
The Clippers jumped on Norfolk starter Lucas Long (2-1) in the second frame, plating six runs on six hits in the inning. Adam Rosales got the scoring started with a solo home run, and the Clippers followed by having six consecutive batters reach base with two outs in the inning. Brandon Barnes, Connor Marabell and Eric Hasse each had run-scoring doubles, while Yu Chang added an RBI single to lift the Clippers to a 6-0 advantage.
Norfolk answered back with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the second, registering four hits against Clippers starter Adam Wilk (5-8). Chance Sisco doubled and scored in the frame, while Rubén Tejada added an RBI double.
Wilk kept the Tides off the board the rest of the way, with the left-hander scattering seven hits over a season-high 8.0 innings of work. He walked one and struck out five while throwing 76 of his 107 pitches for strikes, helping the Clippers (62-56) pull into a virtual tie with Norfolk (61-55) atop the International League Wild Card standings.
Matt Wotherspoon turned in a strong effort out of Norfolk’s bullpen, allowing two runs on three hits over six innings. The only runs he surrendered came on a pair of solo homers hit by Chang in the seventh inning and Mike Papi in the eighth frame. Bobby Bradley capped the scoring with a two-run triple off of D.J Snelten in the ninth inning.
Sisco reached base safely three times to pace Norfolk’s offense, while Breyvic Valera extended his hitting streak to six games with an eighth inning double.
Kyle Husan
Frederick Keys Win in Extras 2-1
LEVY’S INFIELD SINGLE GIVES KEYS WALK-OFF WIN
EXTRA INNINGS RECORD IMPROVES TO 7-1
FREDERICK, MD-Stuart Levy collected an infield single in the 10th inning to give the Frederick Keys (56-62, 21-28) a 1-2 victory over the Buies Creek Astros (66-51, 29-19) on Saturday night. The win was the fifth walk-off win for the Keys and their seventh straight victory in one-run games. They also improved their extra innings mark to 7-1, the best percentage in the Carolina League.
Tied 1-1 going to the 10th, Tyler Erwin struck out the side to strand Osvaldo Duarte at third. In the bottom of the 10th, Randolph Gassaway started at second base and moved to third on a Preston Palmeiro infield single. After Chris Clare walked, the bases were loaded with nobody out. Tommy DeJuneas then struck out Jake Ring and Alejandro Juvier to keep the bases loaded with two outs. That set up Levy, who popped a ball over the head of DeJuneas away from the first baseman Jake Adams. The single allowed Gassaway to score and gave the Keys their 2-1 win.
The Astros started the scoring in the third inning. Cody Bohanek started the frame with a single. After stealing second, he was plated by a Jacob Meyers single.
The Keys tied up the game in the fourth. Continuing his Major League rehab assignment, Craig Gentry singled to left field and moved to scoring position on a passed ball. After Wilson Garcia struck out, the ball went to the backstop which allowed Garcia to reach and Gentry to move to third. Gentry then scored on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Gassaway to make it 1-1, which it would stay until the 10th.
Erwin (4-3) picked up the win for the Keys. He fired two scoreless innings, including striking out the side in the 10th. DeJuneas (0-2) took the loss, allowing the walk-off single.
For the third time in four starts, Alex Wells completed seven innings. Receiving a no-decision, the left-hander allowed one run while scattering four hits. He did not walk a batter and struck out seven. Abdiel Saldaña also received a no-decision. The right-hander allowed an unearned run over five four-hit innings while striking out three.
Will DeBoer
SHOREBIRDS WIN IT 7-1
Encarnacion belts first Shorebird homer in 7-1 win
COLUMBIA, SC – The Delmarva Shorebirds kept their foot on the gas at the plate, taking a wire-to-wire 7-1 win over the Columbia Fireflies on Saturday night at Spirit Communications Park.
Cameron Bishop (9-5) earned his first win in over a month for the Shorebirds (24-23, 59-55), allowing one run on four hits over five innings while walking one and striking out two. Luc Rennie (2-2) took the loss for the Fireflies (18-29, 52-62), surrendering three runs on seven hits over six innings against his former club.
One night after belting a first-inning home run, Zach Jarrett opened up hot again, banging a two-out triple off the wall in the right field corner. Jarrett later sprinted home on a wild pitch to open the scoring, giving the Shorebirds a 1-0 lead that they would build on from there.
In the fifth it was Jarrett again, following three batters behind a Kirvin Moesquit leadoff double with an RBI single to the right side. Columbia answered in the home half of the fifth as Carloz Sanchez doubled and David Miranda singled him home, making it 2-1.
Jean Carlos Encarnacion led off the sixth inning with a towering opposite-field home run, his first as a Shorebird and 11th on the season. Encarnacion had stayed alive narrowly on the last two pitches, fouling one off the end of the bat and taking a narrowly inside breaking ball. The solo smash put Delmarva up 3-1.
The Shorebirds blew it open in the top of the eighth. Ryan Ripken cranked a one-out double off the left field wall, and Cadyn Grenier followed with a walk. After a strikeout, Kirvin Moesquit worked a full-count free pass, and Mason McCoy cleared the bases with a three-run double to left. Trevor Craport followed with a scorching liner over the head of a flat-footed Dionis Paulino, making it a four-run inning and a 7-1 Shorebird lead.
Max Knutson earned a hold with a pair of scoreless innings after Bishop, and Tim Naughton brought it home by putting up zeroes in the eighth and ninth.
McCoy finished 2-for-5 with a double, run, and three RBIs for the Shorebirds, while Jarrett continued his hot series by going 2-for-4 with a triple, run, and RBI. Craport added two hits, including the RBI triple, and showed off his skills in left field, throwing out a runner at the plate in the first inning and making a diving catch on a line drive to the corner in the seventh.
Miranda reached all four times he came to the plate for the Fireflies, going 2-for-2 with a pair of walks, RBI, and stolen base. The rest of the Columbia lineup managed just two more hits on the night.
