Blue Rocks Hit The Home Run Jackpot In 7-3 Win Over Jersey Shore

The Wilmington Blue Rocks (34-41) relied on the long ball to take down the Jersey Shore BlueClaws (41-35) by a final score of 7-3 on Monday, July 1 at Daniel S. Frawley Stadium.

In the bottom of the second inning, the Rocks got the scoring started with their first of three home runs on the night, as Matt Suggs ripped a bullet down the left field line for his third bomb of the year to make it a 1-0 game. Later that inning, Johnathon Thomas came through with two runners on, blooping a single into center that scored Gavin Dugas from second and extended Wilmington’s lead to 2-0.

Jersey Shore responded immediately in the top of the third, as Phillies’ No. 3 prospect Justin Crawford hit a two-run homer similar to Suggs’ just a half inning earlier, roping a line drive down the right field line that just squeaked to the left of the foul pole to tie the game up at two.

It was all Blue Rocks from that point forward. In the bottom of the fifth, Jared McKenzie showed off his power by lifting a two-run bomb over the wall in right center field, his second round-tripper of the season to allow Wilmington to re-take the lead, 4-2. Then, just one inning later, Phillip Glasser joined the party with a two-run homer of his own to pad the lead and make it 6-2. To cap the scoring, Wilmington scored one more insurance run in the bottom of the eighth and Crawford recorded his third RBI of the night in the ninth to establish the 7-3 final score.

Wilmington starter Riley Cornelio battled on the mound, tossing six strong innings of two-run ball, allowing five hits and striking out six. Dugas led the Rocks at the plate with a three-hit night, as McKenzie and T.J. White followed with multi-hit games. Crawford led the BlueClaws with three hits and three RBIs.

The Blue Rocks now lead this six-game, home-and-home series 1-0, and will look to build on this performance in Game 2 tomorrow night at 6:35 p.m.