‘Birds Bats Silent in Loss to FredNats

FREDERICKSBURG, VA - The Delmarva Shorebirds fell for the second straight night to the Fredericksburg Nationals, this time by a score of 5-2, on Friday night at the New FredNats Ballpark.

The Shorebirds (19-8) pitching staff punched out a season high 19 batters, but the Nationals (7-21) used some timely hitting to pull away.

Andrew Martinez started the game with a bang for Delmarva, swatting a leadoff homer to begin the contest, his first homer of the year with the Shorebirds.

The FredNats put together a rally in the fourth to take the lead. Telmito Agustin was hit by a pitch to start the frame and then stole second. Junior Martina followed with a single to right to move Agustin to third. Cole Daily kept the chains moving as he ripped a single to left to score Agustin and tie the game at 1-1. After a pitching change, Jake Randa stroked a double to right, scoring Martina, while Daily also scored on the play after a fielding error in right by Cristopher Cespedes.

With two outs in the sixth, Allan Berríos singled to jumpstart a FredNats rally. Braian Fernandez then singled to left before Jake Boone smacked a single to right to score Berrios from second and make it 4-1 FredNats.

TT Bowens got that run right back for Delmarva as he walloped a solo homer in the seventh, his second of the season, to cut the Shorebirds’ deficit to 4-2 which was as close as Delmarva would get.

After an error allowed Daily to reach second base to open the eighth, Berríos brought him in with a base hit to bring the game to its final line of 5-2.

Bryan Peña (1-0) collected the win for Fredericksburg with a stellar start. The lefty went seven strong frames, allowing just two runs on three hits while striking out five and walking two.

Griffin McLarty (1-1) gets tagged with the loss for Delmarva after starting and going three innings. McLarty allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits and two walks, striking out seven.

Michael Cuevas earned his first save of the season, firing two scoreless frames to end the contest, conceding just a walk and one hit.

Bowens continued his hot start to his Delmarva career, homering for the second straight game while going 2-for-3.

Eight out of nine players in the FredNats order collected one hit, with Berríos having the only multi-hit game.

With the series now tied at two games apiece, the Shorebirds and FredNats square off again on Saturday, June 5 in Fredericksburg. Ignacio Feliz (1-0, 1.15) gets the start for Delmarva while Fredericksburg goes with Mitchell Parker (2-2, 2.92)

ABOUT THE DELMARVA SHOREBIRDS

The Delmarva Shorebirds were founded in 1996 and have been the Class-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles since 1997. The Shorebirds have won two South Atlantic League championships in 1997 and 2000 and were named the MiLB.com Minor League Team of the Year in 2019 after going 90-48 in the regular season. Based in Salisbury, Maryland, the Shorebirds are proud to represent the entire Delmarva Peninsula and have hosted two SAL All-Star Games in 1999 and 2011. The Shorebirds are owned by 7th Inning Stretch, LP, based in Stockton,California headed by Chairman Tom Volpe and President Pat Filippone.