Claws Rally Late to Take Game Two, Half-Game Out With Four to Play

JERSEY SHORE, NJ - Justin Crawford gave the BlueClaws the lead with the go-ahead RBI single in the sixth as the BlueClaws came from behind to take game two from Wilmington on Saturday 6-5 and give the BlueClaws a split of the double-header with the Blue Rocks. Jersey Shore is now a half-game behind Greensboro with four games to play.

Game One

Wilmington won the first game 11-6.

The BlueClaws jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the second inning. William Bergolla's RBI triple made it 1-0. Zach Arnold, Justin Crawford, and Aidan Miller added RBI singles to extend the lead.

After Wilmington got an unearned run in the third off Klassen, the BlueClaws added to the lead in the bottom of the inning on another RBI single from Crawford.

Starter George Klassen came out after the first two batters reached in the fifth inning. He was charged with three runs, two earned, struck out five and walked three over four innings in his Claws debut.

Wilmington stormed back to tie the game in that fifth inning. Jeremy De La Rosa hit a three-run triple off Danny Wilkinson to cut the lead to 5-4 and Kevin Made doubled in the tying run to level the score at five apiece.

The Blue Rocks then scored four times in the top of the sixth to take the lead. They took the lead on a balk from Daniel Harper and the inning included a two-run single from Viandel Pena. Harper was charged with four runs, two of which were unearned. The Rocks added two more in the seventh off Mason Ronan for the 11-6 win.

William Bergolla had three hits for the BlueClaws while Crawford, Miller, and Emaarion Boyd had two each.

Game Two

Jersey Shore won the second game 6-5. Wilmington scored in the first inning on a wild pitch that allowed Phillip Glasser to scamper home. Glasser walked, stole second, and advanced to third on a groundout. They added three more to take a 4-0 lead.

The BlueClaws got back in the game with two runs in the bottom of the fifth. One scored on a base hit by Jordan Dissin and an error on right fielder Elijah Nunez, with another scoring on a groundout by Justin Crawford.

Then in the sixth, the Claws stormed back. Troy Schreffler tied the game with a two-run double. Justin Crawford added an RBI single to put the BlueClaws ahead and Aidan Miller made it 6-4 with an RBI single of his own.

Andrew Walling gave up a run in the seventh but earned his third save of the year. Jack Dallas got the win in relief.

Schreffler went 3-3 and Crawford had two hits in the win.

The teams finish their series on Sunday at 1:05 pm. LHP Braeden Fausnaught starts for Jersey Shore.

-Jersey Shore BlueClaws-