‘Birds Rally Twice To Swipe 5-4 Win from Hillcats

LYNCHBURG, VA. – Despite trailing by two runs on multiple occasions, the Delmarva Shorebirds battled back to steal a 5-4 win off the Lynchburg Hillcats on Saturday night at Bank of the James Stadium.

The win gives the Shorebirds (33-61, 12-17) their first road series win of the season while the Hillcats (46-49, 11-18) dropped their third straight game.

Lynchburg started the scoring in the bottom of the first. Yordys Valdes singled to start the frame and went to second on a groundout before a throwing error that allowed Victor Planchart to reach also allowed Valdes to score. Joe Donovan followed with a double to score Planchart and make it 2-0.

Delmarva rallied back to tie it in the fourth. Frederick Bencosme doubled to start the inning and Elio Prado then drove him home and then went to second when the throw to the plate was wild. After a strikeout, Erinson Placencia singled Prado to third. Placencia then tried to steal second but was thrown out, however Prado scored on the play, tying the game at 2-2.

The tie game didn’t last long as Donovan walloped a solo homer, his third of the season, to kick off the bottom of the fourth and give Lynchburg the lead back.

Isaiah Greene doubled the Hillcats advantage with a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the fifth.

The ‘Birds mounted their second comeback in the sixth. Stiven Acevedo singled and Erinson Placencia then walked with one away. Brayan Hernandez then singled home Acevedo to cut the deficit to one. After a Luis Valdez single, Noelberth Romero worked a walk, forcing home Placencia and tying the game at 4-4.

Delmarva took their first lead in the eighth. Hernandez doubled with one out and moved to third on another Valdez single. Romero then drove in Hernandez with a sacrifice fly, pushing Delmarva ahead 5-4.

Dylan Heid (2-2) earned the win in relief for the Shorebirds, firing five innings of one-run baseball, tying a career high with seven strikeouts. Heid allowed just four hits without issuing a walk.

Sergio Morillo (0-1) suffered the loss for the Hillcats. Morillo allowed a run in 2.1 innings on two hits and a walk, striking out three.

The Shorebirds wrap their six-game road series with the Hillcats on Sunday, July 31 at Bank of the James Stadium. Juan De Los Santos (2-8, 4.41) is slated to go for the Shorebirds while Lynchburg hands the ball to Will Dion (5-3, 2.36). First pitch is slated for 5:00 p.m with pregame coverage beginning at 4:45 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.