Worth the drive to the Eastern Shore

Observations from Delmarva

This is a great park in one of the league's more remote locations. As the crow flies, it's 165 miles from Richmond (our home base for a trip to see the league's northernmost three teams - thanks, friends!), but Chesapeake Bay prevents that sort of direct path. Our drive was five hours from Richmond by the northern route (slowed by Annapolis rush hour) and more than four hours by the southern route (slowed by overnight bay tunnel construction). It would have been great to pair this visit with Lakewood N.J., but our schedule and the games didn't match up that way.

The fellow behind us sounded exactly like Wilford Brimley.

Shorebirds starter Luis Gonzalez (6-0 in 12 starts) had a nice outing, throwing seven strikeouts in six shutout innings in a 4-0 win Wednesday against Lakewood.

Food highlight: The Swamp Dog, a spicy sausage with shrimp and grits on top.

Shorebirds' Carolinas Connections

Pitcher Hunter Harvey - Catawba Bandys High (son of Bryan Harvey, brother of Kris Harvey)
Pitcher John McLeod - Wake Forest (on disabled list)