Shorebirds record season high 16 hits
Salisbury, Md. – The Delmarva Shorebirds (19-28) offense recorded 16 hits, a season high, in a 9-4 win over the Augusta GreenJackets (23-25) in the series finale on Saturday night at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium in front of 7,116 fans.
The Shorebirds jumped on the GreenJackets in the second inning. Mikey Planeta hit a one out double to left-center field. Then, Jason Esposito hit a soft flare down the right field line to give the Shorebirds a 1-0 lead.
The Shorebirds took a commanding 5-0 lead with a four run third inning. The first three batters of the inning reached. Then, Michael Ohlman lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to give the Shorebirds a 2-0 lead. Planeta followed with a single to score Lorenzo. Wynston Sawyer broke the game open with a two run double to increase the lead to 5-0.
The Shorebirds did not let off the gas pedal in the fourth inning. Glynn Davis led off the inning with a double. Later, with the bases loaded, Ohlman hit another sacrifice fly to right field. Then, Planeta hit a soft liner over a poorly timed leap of the shortstop to extend the Shorebirds lead to 7-2.
In the bottom of the eighth, the Shorebirds added two more runs. Planeta launched a triple to deep right-center field to score Ohlman. Sawyer singled down the left field line to score Planeta.
Augusta scored two runs in the ninth inning, but Gene Escat slammed the door by striking out the final two hitters of the game.
Shorebirds starter Eduardo Rodriguez earned his fifth win of the season over five strong innings. He surrendered just three hits and one run.
Zach Fowler entered in the sixth inning and held the GreenJackets to one run on three hits over the next three innings.
Planeta and Sawyer paced the Shorebirds offense with three hits apiece.
The Shorebirds are off on Sunday before opening a three-day and five-game series against Kannapolis on Monday, August 13.
