· By Whitney Hunt
Dirty Birds Shut Out Southern Maryland
The Charleston Dirty Birds secured a shutout victory over the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs behind stellar pitching and timely hitting, highlighted by James Nelson's home run and aggressive baserunning.
Charleston Key Performances
- James Nelson (3B): 2-for-3, HR, 2 R, 1 RBI, SB (.293 AVG).
- Alsander Womack (2B): 2-for-4, 1 RBI, SB (.340 AVG).
- Pitching: Jonh Henriquez (W, 1-0): 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 8 K, 4 BB (3.86 ERA).
Pitching Breakdown
Charleston: Starter Jonh Henriquez dominated with 5 scoreless innings and 8 strikeouts. The bullpen combined for 4 more scoreless innings, allowing only 3 hits and striking out 6.
Southern Maryland: Starter Joey Hennessey (L, 0-3): Allowed 1 run over 2 innings. The bullpen provided 6 innings of relief but conceded 2 more runs, including Nelson's solo homer.
Key Moments
1. Charleston opened the scoring in the 1st inning with Nelson crossing home on a productive out.
2. Nelson extended the lead in the 5th with a solo home run, his 6th of the season.
3. Womack added an insurance RBI in the 8th, driving in Charleston's final run.
Game Impact: The Dirty Birds earned their first shutout of the season, powered by a cohesive pitching performance and small-ball execution. Nelson's contributions on offense and defense were instrumental in the win, while the bullpen continued to show improvement