Blue Rocks Split Doubleheader With Blue Claws Following Suspended Game

Wilmington, DE - The Wilmington Blue Rocks (49-61) split a doubleheader against the Jersey Shore Blue Claws on Thursday, Aug. 14 at Frawley Stadium. The Blue Rocks took game one, 6-4, after the game originally started on Wednesday but was pushed to Thursday due to rain. Game two was an abbreviated seven-inning game which the Blue Rocks dropped, 7-3, in eight innings.

Game One

Wilmington got on the board first in their half of the first inning. An Elijah Nunez triple set up Caleb Lomavita to bring him home with an RBI single.

Jersey Shore got two back in the second inning thanks to a Joel Dragoo triple. After that inning, play was suspended in the top of the third inning and resumed on Thursday. The Blue Claws got to work as Aroon Escobar brought home a runner off an RBI single to make the score 3-1. Escobar would later score when Kehden Hettiger grounded into a RBI 4-3 putout.

Wilmington answered in their half of the frame. Nunez led off with his second extra base hit of the game, this one a double. Jared McKenzie would follow him up with a home run that stayed just fair down the right field line, making the score 4-3 in favor of Jersey Shore.

The Blue Rocks struck again in the fifth inning, sending eight men to the plate during the frame. Singles by Gavin Dugas and Nunez and a walk issued to McKenzie loaded the bases for Lomavita. A wild pitch brought home Dugas before Lomavita tallied his 40th RBI of the season when he flew out to left field, scoring Nunez. Jeremy De La Rosa continued the scoring affair when he drove home McKenzie on an RBI single to right field, giving the ‘Rocks a 6-4 advantage.

The Wilmington bullpen did the rest of the heavy lifting, combining to shut out the Blue Claws over the final six innings of play. Wander Arias was credited with the win while Anthony Arguelles earned his first save of the season, pitching his way out of a jam in the ninth inning after allowing the first two runners to reach base.

Nunez finished a home run short of hitting for the cycle, his four-hit game a career high during his Wilmington tenure.

Game Two

Josh Randall took the mound for his home debut after arriving in a deal with the Detroit Tigers. The righty made a good first impression, recording a 1-2-3 inning.

On the other side, Jersey Shore’s Brandon Beckel proved to be just as formidable. Beckel threw four shutout innings, allowing three hits and a walk to go along with four strikeouts.

Randall would last five innings, allowing two base runners while matching a career-high in strikeouts. The 22-year-old did not allow a run, setting up a battle of the bullpens to see who would blink first.

“Getting ahead with the fastball and sinker and then putting guys away with the slider and keeping guys off balance. I think that was really key for me.” Randall said.

The Blue Rocks had a chance in the bottom of the fifth after Armando Cruz doubled before advancing to third on a throwing error. Cruz would make a break towards home after McKenzie hit a ground ball to first but was thrown, preserving the 0-0 deadlock.

Jersey Shore finally ended the scoring drought in the top of the sixth. With runners on first and third, Nikau Pouaka-Grego was able to advance home after a throwing error in an attempt to throw Aroon Escobar out stealing second sailed into the outfield. A single by Hettiger scored Escobar before Avery Owusu-Asiedu tacked on an insurance run after his sacrifice fly to center brought home Hettiger.

The Blue Rocks answered in their half of the sixth. With the bases loaded and no outs, T.J White drilled a ball down the right field line. The hit scored two but Nate Rombach was thrown out at the plate looking to tie up the game. Later in the inning, McKenzie would come up to the plate with bases loaded and draw a walk, tying the game up at three. Marcus Brown could not take the lead for the ‘Rocks after grounding out to first.

Euri Montero posted a scoreless seventh inning, setting up the ‘Rocks with a chance to walk the game off. Despite a De La Rosa walk, Wilmington was unable to bring him home, sending the game to extras.

The Blue Claws exploded in their half of the inning as the first five men would reach base safely, bringing home four runners in the process. Although the Blue Claws didn’t get any more runs across after a flyout and double play were recorded, they still found themselves holding a comfortable four run lead going into the bottom of the eighth.

The ‘Rocks couldn’t do anything in their half, sealing the 7-3 defeat.

Wilmington will look to get back in the win column when they take the field on Friday night. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.