SHOREBIRDS SALVAGE FINALE


GREENSBORO, NC - A Preston Palmeiro grand slam in the top of the first inning set the tone and Zack Muckinhirn pitched six strong innings as the Delmarva Shorebirds salvaged the finale of a three-game set with the Greensboro Grasshoppers, 8-2. The ‘Birds won in a tight two hours and 28 minutes on a Wednesday afternoon at First National Bank Field.

Muckinhirn (1-1) was locked in from the beginning in a quality start, allowing one run on four hits in six innings of work. He walked none and struck out eight, upping his season total to 14 punchouts without a walk in 10.2 frames.

Alex Mateo (0-1) took the loss after allowing five runs on six hits in five innings. Steven Klimek earned the first save of the year for Shorebird relievers after pitching the last three innings and allowing just one run.

Ryan McKenna led off the game with a walk, then after a flyout and hit batsman Collin Woody loaded the bases with a single. That brought up Palmeiro, who socked the bases-clearing shot over the wall in right center. It was Palmeiro’s first professional home run in his 40th career game and gave the Shorebirds (2-5) an immediate 4-0 lead.

The Grasshoppers (5-2) got one back in the bottom of the second as Brendan Berry doubled to left and later scored on a Luis Pintor single. It would be the only run Muckinhirn surrendered on the day as he retired the last eight to face him.

Gerrion Grim walked and Irving Ortega doubled with one out in the fourth to put men on second and third. After Grim was thrown out on a fielder’s choice, Cole Billingsley cracked a single to right to bring in Ortega and make it 5-1.

Billingsley delievered again in the top of the sixth with a two-out two run triple. Then in the eighth, Grim led off with a line drive home run down the left field line to make it 8-1 Delmarva. The Grasshoppers scored one in the bottom of the eighth on an Aaron Knapp triple and a force out to give the game its final margin.

Billingsley, Grim, and Ortega each had three hits to lead the way for the Shorebirds with Grim and Ortega both scoring twice.

Knapp went 2-for-4 with a triple and a run to pace the Grasshopper offense.

The Shorebirds now return home to Arthur W. Perdue Stadium to open a seven-game homestand. Delmarva welcomes the Hagerstown Suns to Salisbury for the first of four on Thursday night. Righty Matthias Dietz (0-0, 9.00) takes the hill for Delmarva against the Suns’ Carlos Acevedo (0-0, 0.00). Gametime is 7:05 p.m. with gates opening an hour before first pitch. The first 5,000 fans who pass through the gates will receive a 2017 Shorebirds Schedule magnet. Opening Night is also the first Kiss 95.9 Thirsty Thursday of the season, featuring $2 Pepsi products, Miller Lite, and Coors Light. Pregame coverage on Fox Sports AM 960 and the MiLB First Pitch app begins at 6:50 p.m. with Will DeBoer on the call.