WILMINGTON, DE (7/18/26) — The Wilmington Blue Rocks defeated the Jersey Shore BlueClaws, 7-4, Saturday night at Frawley Stadium, after an hour and a half rain delay.
Wilmington secured its second straight win to improve to 44-44 overall and 13-10 in the second half. The Blue Rocks also clinched the six-game series over Jersey Shore and remained in the South Atlantic League North Division race. The BlueClaws dropped to 31-56 overall and 6-17 in the second half.
The Blue Rocks broke open a tie game with a five-run fourth inning, turning a 2-2 contest into a 7-2 advantage they would never relinquish. Teo Banks started the rally with an RBI fielder's choice before Ronny Cruz drew a bases-loaded walk. Yeremy Cabrera then delivered the game's biggest hit, ripping a three-run double to center field that scored Elijah Nunez, Eli Willits and Cruz to cap the inning.
"We had the big five-run inning, so it was good to see our guys figure out how to play in these conditions," manager Ted Tom said. "We always talk about playing when they tell us to play. You'd like to think our guys come out with that mental toughness, and we did just that."
Cabrera finished with a game-high three RBIs, while Banks drove in two runs and scored once. Jacob Walsh continued his strong second half, going 2-for-4 with two doubles, an RBI and two runs scored. Angel Feliz also recorded a pair of hits as Wilmington totaled seven runs on seven hits.
"I think [Walsh is] just a little bit more relaxed," Tom said. "He's catching the ball out in front and being able to drive the baseball. That's who he is. You'd be surprised what a couple days to rest your brain does to a man's psyche."
The Blue Rocks' bullpen once again proved to be the difference after starter Miguel Sime Jr. exited in the third inning. Sime Jr. struck out six over two and two thirds innings but also walked five. Bryan Polanco earned the win despite allowing three runs, two earned, in two and one third innings, while Yeuris Jimenez and Tucker Biven combined for two and two thirds scoreless innings. Baron Stuart retired all three batters he faced and struck out two in the ninth to collect his second save. Stuart had been out two weeks with an oblique strain and impressed.
"He's got ridiculous stuff," Tom said of Sime Jr. "When he's around the zone, it's really tough to square up. It's just a matter of moving on to the next pitch and not letting the previous pitch dictate our confidence. That's part of his maturation."
Wilmington struck first in the second inning when Walsh lined an RBI double to right before Banks followed with an RBI double of his own to make it 2-0.
Jersey Shore answered with a run in the third on a wild pitch before tying the game in the fourth on Nick Biddison's RBI single. The BlueClaws added single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to cut the deficit to 7-4, but never brought the tying run to the plate.
Biddison reached base five times for Jersey Shore, finishing 3-for-3 with a double, an RBI and two walks. Despite putting runners on throughout the night, the BlueClaws stranded 13 men and went just 1-for-14 with runners in scoring position. Wilmington, meanwhile, went 4-for-8 with runners in scoring position and left only four runners on base.
The Blue Rocks will look for a series sweep when they host the BlueClaws in the finale Sunday afternoon at Frawley Stadium. Yoel Tejeda Jr. is the projected starter Sunday afternoon.