Hoppers can’t beat the ‘Birds(Monday Moanin’)….

McCurry, Shorebirds Shut Out Hoppers
Greensboro Drops First Road Series of 2008; Shut Out for Fourth Time

Salisbury, Md. – Cole McCurry allowed just two hits and struck out 10 batters on the afternoon to pick up his first win of the season; the bad news was that McCurry happened to be donning a Delmarva jersey Monday at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.

Greensboro (24-20) lead off the game with a single by Ryan Curry, but the Shorebirds (23-19) allowed only two other hits in the contest as the Hoppers were shut out, 8-0. The loss was Greensboro’s third of the series and handed the Hoppers their first road series loss of the year.

The Shorebirds homered in each of the first three innings to build a five-run lead before adding two more runs in the fifth off of Hoppers’ starter Stuart Alexander, who gave way to Corey Madden in the sixth.

Madden threw two scoreless innings in relief and struck out four batters before the ‘Birds picked up their final run of the game in the eighth inning off of Greensboro’s Garrett Parcell.

Along with Curry’s hit to lead off the game, Emilio Ontiveros singled in the fourth inning and Ben Lasater singled in the eighth. Delmarva ended the game with 10 hits.

Greensboro returns to action Tuesday as the Hoppers open a four-game set in Lakewood, N.J., against the BlueClaws. The Hoppers swept the BlueClaws May 12-15 at NewBridge Bank Park and are making their first trip to FirstEnergy Park since taking four-of-five games from the BlueClaws on May 8-11 last season.

The Hoppers are scheduled to send RHP Kyle Kaminska (0-1, 10.00) to the mound in the series opener; first pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

Postgame Quick Stats
Win – Cole McCurry (1-4); Loss – Stuart Alexander (4-3); Save – None
Time – 2:10; Attendance – 6,642
*****from Justin Stottlemyre Hoppers’ media assistant*****