Solid Performances from Deivy Cruz and Heston Kjerstad Not Enough as ‘Birds Walked-Off by FredNats

Cruz fires five shutout innings in first start; Kjerstad extends hitting streak out to 12

By Sam Jellinek

June 30, 2022

FREDERICKSBURG, VA – The Delmarva Shorebirds saw an early 4-0 lead slip away late as the Fredericksburg Nationals completed the comeback to hand the Shorebirds a 5-4 loss in 10 innings on Thursday night at Virginia Credit Union Stadium. Deivy Cruz went five shutout innings but didn’t receive a no-decision

FREDERICKSBURG, VA – The Delmarva Shorebirds saw an early 4-0 lead slip away late as the Fredericksburg Nationals completed the comeback to hand the Shorebirds a 5-4 loss in 10 innings on Thursday night at Virginia Credit Union Stadium.

Deivy Cruz went five shutout innings but didn’t receive a no-decision for the Shorebirds (22-49, 1-5), as he struck out five Nationals (38-34, 5-1) and allowed just two hits and one walk.

The Shorebirds started the scoring in the third. After back-to-back walks opened the inning, Luis Valdez singled with one-out to left, with an error on the throw back in allowing a run to score. Heston Kjerstad then followed with an RBI single, extending his hitting streak out to 12 games. Kjerstad ended the game going 2-for-4 with a double. Elio Prado completed the rally with an infield single plating a third run.

Isaac De León blasted a solo homer in the fourth, his fourth of the year, extending the Delmarva lead out to 4-0.

The FredNats started their comeback in the seventh. Allan Berrios socked an RBI single and then a fielder’s choice combined with an error allowed the Nationals to scratch across another run.

Jeremy De La Rosa tied the game at 4-4 with a two-run homer in the eighth, his ninth homer of the season.

The game stayed knotted at 4-4 until the bottom of the tenth when Steven Williams won it for the Nationals with a two-out RBI single, scoring Jacob Young from third to hand the ‘Birds a 5-4 loss.

Riggs Threadgill (5-1) collected the win for the FredNats after throwing a scoreless 10th inning without allowing a baserunner.

Hugo Beltran (3-4) suffered the loss for the Shorebirds after allowing the automatic runner to score from second in the bottom of the 10th. Beltran allowed the unearned run on a hit and a walk.

The Shorebirds continue their six-game set against the Nationals on Thursday, June 30 at Virginia Credit Union Stadium. Edgar Portes (0-2, 4.80) is due up on the mound for the Shorebirds while the FredNats turn to Mason Denaburg (0-1, 5.60) First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m. with pregame coverage beginning at 6:50 p.m. on 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.