Backed by another strong outing on the mound, the Intimidators (41-28) and LHP Parker Rigler took game two of the three-game series, 3-1, Friday night at Perdue Stadium, despite being out-hit 8-to-6 by the Shorebirds.Rigler got himself into a little bit of trouble in the bottom of the second with
Backed by another strong outing on the mound, the Intimidators (41-28) and LHP Parker Rigler took game two of the three-game series, 3-1, Friday night at Perdue Stadium, despite being out-hit 8-to-6 by the Shorebirds.
Rigler got himself into a little bit of trouble in the bottom of the second with one out, as the southpaw hit Branden Becker with a 2-2 pitch, bringing up Will Robertson. The former Davidson College standout doubled on a 1-0 pitch to left field, as Craig Dedelow fired the ball into the infield to keep Becker from scoring, putting runners at second and third with one out. With the bottom of the order up for Delmarva and two runners in scoring position, Rigler struck out Ryan Ripken and Ben Breazeale on just six total pitches, getting himself out of the jam.
In the fourth, Zach Jarrett doubled on a ball to Dedelow in left field, followed by a Trevor Craport hit-by-pitch. With two guys on and no outs, Becker reached on an infield single to Anthony Villa at first base, loading the bases for Robertston. Rigler got the six-hole hitter, Robertson, to pop up to second base for an infield fly rule, right before striking out Ripken for the second time in as many at bats. Unfortunately for Kannapolis, Rigler walked Breazeale after a seven-pitch at-bat to give Delmarva a 1-0 lead.
A half inning later, Tyler Frost reached on a one-out walk, followed by a Johan Cruz strikeout, though, Frost swiped second base on the strikeout for his fourth steal of the season. Next up, Carlos Perez doubled on a fly ball to center field, scoring Frost with ease from second, tying the game, 1-1. In just his second game off the DL, Brown smacked a double to left fielder Max Hogan, scoring Perez to give the Intimidators a 2-1 advantage.
Rigler finished his day by getting Robertson to ground into a 6-4-3 double play, while also adding on his fifth strikeout of the day in the inning. The former Kansas State lefty scattered five hits on one run, throwing 90 pitches (60 strikes).
Joe Mockbee got in the ball game for the first time since being called up after the All-Star break, as the left-handed pitcher out of Michigan State induced a couple groundouts, while striking out one batter in his Kannapolis debut.
In the top of the eighth, Dedelow singled on a 1-2 pitch off Timothy Naughton, moving up 90 feet a couple pitches later due to a passed ball from Delmarva catcher, Breazeale. After both Tate Blackman (walk) and Michael Hickman (error) reached on free passes, Villa picked up his 24th RBI of the season with a sacrifice fly to right field, giving Kannapolis a 3-1 lead.
With the Shorebirds at the plate in the bottom half of the inning, Aron McRee worked around a Mason McCoy single and Craport walk to leave runners stranded at second and third, getting a groundout and strikeout to end the late Delmarva threat.
In the bottom of the ninth, the Shorebirds put runners at second and third with one out, much like the eighth, but McRee received a timely line-drive double play off the bat of Kirvin Moesquit to Luis Curbelo at third to end the threat and the game.
The Intimidators will look for the series sweep Saturday night at 7:05 p.m. against RHP Brenan Hanifee (4-2, 2.89 ERA), as Kannapolis will trot out RHP Yosmer Solorzano (1-3, 4.00 ERA).
