By Marny Hendrick

sports@salisburypost.com

KANNAPOLIS — Barely two years removed from being a catcher in high school in Spring, Texas, Thad Lowry has nearly completed his successful transition to a professional pitcher in the Chicago White Sox organization.

Lowry’s progress showed Friday night at CMC NorthEast stadium as he gutted out six innings to beat the Delmarva Shorebirds, 5-3, improving his record to 6-2. After a rough first inning when he gave up a pair of runs on three hits, Lowry settled in and gave his team a chance to win.

“I realized they were ambushing the fast ball in the first inning, so I made the necessary adjustments,” Lowry said. “I talked to my coaches and they said to just buckle down and keep battling.”

The win evened the four game series with Delmarva at a game each as Kannapolis has almost reached the .500 mark at 27-28. It was their 11th win in the last 17 games.

The Intimidators put themselves and Lowry right back into the game in the bottom of the first with two runs to tie the game. Eddie Alvarez led off with a single, stole second (his 22nd), then came in on Christian Stringer’s hot shot past the first baseman. Stringer then gave Kannapolis the lead for good in the third with a towering home run to right field off of starter and loser Brian Gonzalez. It was Stringer’s first round-tripper of the season and highlighted a 3-for-4 night and two RBI.

After an unearned run by Kannapolis in the fourth made it 4-2, Delmarva got an RBI-single from Winthrop product T.J. Olesczuk, as part of his second consecutive 3-for-4 night, tightening the margin to 4-3.

But the Intimidators went back to their new-found power game in the bottom of the fifth as outfielder Louie Lechich slammed a solo shot to center to expand the margin to 5-3. That score stood the rest of the way, thanks to Lowry and relievers Jacob Morris (four strikeouts ) and Matt Cooper (fourth save).

Perhaps the most critical moment in the game for Lowry came in the top of the fifth frame when the Shorebirds had a run in with runners on the corners and no outs. The 6-4 right-hander Lowry then fanned cleanup hitter Conor Bierfeldt and coaxed Jomar Reyes into a rally-killing double play.

“Lowry didn’t have his good stuff or his command early,” Intimidator manager Tommy Thompson said afterwards. “But he competed like he always does and then later in the game, when he had to make some pitches, he manned up and made some quality pitches in critical situations.”

As for his transition to full-time professional pitcher, Lowry, 20, says his progress is very good. “I have always loved catching but everything is just really starting to click now with my pitching and I have learned so much these last two seasons.”

Lowry has lowered his ERA to 3.88 and has now struck out 36 batters in his 10 appearances.

The Intimidators are going for their fifth consecutive series win and play the Shorebirds again at at CMC-NorthEast Stadium tonight at 7:05. A fireworks show will follow the game.

Delmarva 200 010 000 — 3 9 2

Kannapolis 201 110 00x — 5 7 0

WP — Thad Lowry (6-2)

LP — Brian Gonzalez (3-4)

S — Matt Cooper (4)

HR — KAN : Stringer (1); Lechich (3)