‘BIRDS FALL SHORT IN EXTRA-INNINGS THRILLER, 9-8

Shorebirds Play Crawdads on the Road Tuesday Night

SALISBURY, Md. – West Virginia plated two runs in the top of the 11th inning to salvage the final game of the series against the Delmarva Shorebirds, 9-8, at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium Sunday.

The loss for the Shorebirds (45-48) ends a six-game winning streak. The Shorebirds battled back from a 7-1 deficit, to tie the game, 7-7, scoring four runs in the bottom of the ninth before falling in extra innings.

West Virginia (39-55) second baseman Jarek Cunningham broke the deadlock with one out in the top of 11th by depositing a 2-2 pitch over the left-field wall. The Power added one more in the inning to extended to a 9-7 game before Delmarva’s second late rally fell just short.

Kelly started the inning with a base hit to left and came around to score on a one-out Tyler Townsend single up the middle. Then, with two outs Kieron Pope nearly won it for the ‘Birds with a long fly ball to right-center that was caught on the warning track by Jose Hernandez.

Alvarado (2-5) got the win with two innings of three-hit relief. Mike Williams worked the 11th for his second save of the season. James Brandhorst (1-5) took the loss for Delmarva.

Four Shorebirds had multi-hit outings led by Garabez Rosa’s 3-for-5 effort. He had two runs scored and a double in the loss. The Power were paced by Evan Chambers. He went 2-for-5 with a homer, triple and four RBIs.

Delmarva took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. T.J. Baxter started the inning with a triple off the wall in left field before Brian Conley lifted a fly to left with one out to score Baxter from third.

West Virginia broke the game open with six runs and four hits in the fourth off of starter Matt Hobgood and reliever Brian Parker.

First baseman Aaron Baker tied the game with a single to left that scored Cunningham. Two batters later, Left fielder Kyle Morgan ripped a two-run double down the right-field line made it 3-1 with one out in the inning. Back-to-back walks loaded the bases and Evan Chambers powered Parker’s pitch to the gap in right center to lengthen the lead to five.

Parker gave up a solo homer in the seventh to Chambers for a 7-1 lead.

Delmarva got a run back in the bottom of the frame on a Rosa double to right and a Luis Bernardo RBI single to make it 7-2.

With the game at 7-3 heading to the bottom of the ninth, Delmarva tallied four runs to send it to extra innings. Mark Baca started the inning on the mound for West Virginia and promptly allowed the first three Shorebirds’ hitters to reach on a single and two walks. After a strikeout, Ty Kelly singled to right field to make it a 7-5 score. That spelled the end for Baca, who was replaced by Gabriel Alvarado. Kelly then stole second to put runners on second and third. An Alvarado wild pitch scored Gary Helmick from third and Conley singled to left to knot things at 7-7.

The Shorebirds open a four-game series at Hickory Tuesday. Delmarva will send right-hander Brent Allar to the mound.