EARLY RUNS LIFT LAKEWOOD TO 6-2 WIN IN GAME THREE

Shorebirds Fall 10.5 Games Out of First With 22 Games Left

Lakewood, NJ – The Lakewood BlueClaws plated five runs between the second and third innings and used solid pitching to down the Shorebirds 6-2 in game three at FirstEnergy Park. The Shorebirds one through four hitters went a combined 0-for-16 at the plate.

Lakewood cracked the scoreboard first in the second inning. Sebastian Valle hit a lead off double. Two batters later, Jeremy Barnes hit his fourth homer of the season over the left field wall to give the ‘Claws a 2-0 lead.

In the third, the BlueClaws added three more runs. Leandro Castro hit an RBI single, Jonathan Singleton hit an RBI single and Valle recorded an RBI double to vault the lead to 5-0.

The Shorebirds tallied runs in the fourth and fifth innings. Justin Dalles hit a two-out double down the left field line to score Mike Flacco in the fourth. In the fifth, Gary Helmick hit a lead off double. He scored on a throwing error by second baseman Jeremy Barnes.

Lakewood starter Josh Zeid earned the win in six innings. He allowed four hits and one earned run. Zeid also fanned seven batters without issuing a walk. Relievers Justin Beal and Eric Massingham held the ‘Birds in check from the seventh inning forward.

Shorebirds starter Nick Haughian lasted a season high 5.1 innings. He allowed eight hits and five earned runs.

‘Birds reliever Brian Parker went the final 2.2 innings without allowing a hit or a run.

The Shorebirds and BlueClaws play game four of the series on Sunday night at 5:05 p.m.