‘Birds Epic Rally Thwarted By Red Sox in Walk-Off Loss

‘Birds Epic Rally Thwarted By Red Sox in Walk-Off Loss

‘Birds rally for four in the ninth to take the lead, Sox walk it off in bottom half

SALEM, VA – The Delmarva Shorebirds wiped away a three-run deficit in the ninth inning only to see the Salem Red Sox comeback and win in the bottom of the ninth, 12-11, on Sunday night at Carilion Clinic Field.

In a topsy turvy game, the Shorebirds (20-42) pounded out a season-high 16 hits only to see the Red Sox (33-30) rally in the last of the ninth to take five of six games in the series.

The scoring started early and often with Delmarva scoring two in both the first and second. Frederick Bencosme had a two-run single in the first while Luis Valdez drove in a run in the second with a groundout and Heston Kjerstad produced a sacrifice fly to make it 4-0.

Salem responded with four in the third to tie the game. Eddinson Paulino roped an RBI triple before Nathan Hickey drove in two with a double and then scored on a Blaze Jordan single to tie the game at 4-4.

The Shorebirds reclaimed the lead in the top of the fourth with a Mishael Deson RBI single only to see Salem respond with four more runs in the bottom of the fourth.

Hickey drove in two again with a double before Jordan blasted a two-run homer to make it 8-5.

Deson plated two runs with a single in the sixth to cut it to a one-run deficit before Salem added a run in the sixth on Jordan’s second homer of the game, a solo shot, and then made it a three-run game again in the seventh on a Paulino RBI single.

Down three going into the ninth, the ‘Birds rallied. Trendon Craig was hit by a pitch to start the inning and Bencosme followed with a single. After a strikeout, Isaac De León drove both runners in with a double to centerfield. De León was then thrown out trying to take third on a groundball, leaving the ‘Birds with a runner at first and two away. Wilkin Grullon restarted the rally with a single and Luis Valdez then walked to load the bases. Heston Kjerstad came through in the clutch with a two-out, two-run single to give the Shorebirds a 11-10 lead and complete the rally.

Salem answered back with two in the bottom of the ninth to win it. Brainer Bonaci tied the game with an RBI single before Hickey won it, 12-11, with a run-scoring chopper down the first base line by a drawn in infield.

Luis Guerrero (1-0) blew the save for the Red Sox but does get the win after allowing four runs in an inning of work on four hits and a walk, striking out two.

Hugo Beltran (3-2) suffers the loss for the Shorebirds after conceding three runs on six hits and two walks, striking out four in 2.1 innings.

After an off-day Monday, the Shorebirds kick off a six-game set at home against the Lynchburg Hillcats on Tuesday, June 21. Starters to open the series are to be determined for both teams. First pitch from Arthur W. Perdue Stadium is slated for 7:05 p.m. with pregame coverage beginning at 6:50 p.m. on MiLB.TV and theshorebirds.com with Sam Jellinek on the call.

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.