‘Birds Hang On Late In Thrilling One-Run Win Over Hillcats

SALISBURY, MD – The Delmarva Shorebirds grabbed an early lead and held on by the skin of their teeth down the stretch for a 4-3 win over the Lynchburg Hillcats on Saturday night at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.

The Shorebirds (22-45, 1-1) snapped a three-game losing streak and set up a chance to split their series with the Hillcats (1-1, 36-32) on Sunday.

Delmarva worked quickly to get on the board in the first inning. Luis Valdez legged out an infield single to start the home first and then stole second before advancing to third when the throw from the catcher skipped into centerfield. Heston Kjerstad then singled him in to make it 1-0. After two groundouts advanced Kjerstad to third, Frederick Bencosme drove him in with a base hit to make it 2-0.

Lynchburg shaved one run off their deficit in the third. Joe Donovan and Jake Fox drew back-to-back walks with one out before Yordys Valdes singled home Donovan.

The Shorebirds got that run back plus one in the bottom of the third. Noelberth Romero stepped up with one on and two out and smashed a two-run homer, his sixth of the season, to make it 4-1.

Joe Donovan began the fifth with a solo homer for Lynchburg, his third of the year, making it 4-2.

Lynchburg trimmed the deficit to one in the eighth when a dropped flyball allowed a run to score, but Shorebirds reliever Preston Price held firm, stranding the tying run at second to end the frame.

Price again danced around trouble in the ninth, striking out Will Bartlett to end the game with the tying run at third and go-ahead run at second.

Joel Benitez (2-0) earned the win for the Shorebirds with three scoreless innings out of the bullpen, allowing just a hit and two walks, striking out two.

Reid Johnston (1-4) started and suffered the loss for the Hillcats, going six-plus innings and allowing four runs on six hits and a walk, striking out four.

Price earned his fifth save in as many tries for the Shorebirds, allowing an unearned run in two innings on two hits, striking out three.

The Shorebirds wrap up their six-game against the Lynchburg Hillcats on Sunday, June 26 at Perdue Stadium. Ryan Long (1-2, 3.52) takes the mound for Delmarva against Josh Wolf (0-1, 6.48) for Lynchburg. First pitch is slated for 2:05 p.m. with pregame coverage beginning at 1:50 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.