FredNats Throw 7th Shutout of the Season, Break Franchise All-Time 1st Half Wins Record, Beat Salem 3-0

Fredericksburg, VA- The Fredericksburg Nationals picked up their second straight win tonight, taking down the Salem RidgeYaks 3-0. It was the 7th shutout of the season for the FredNats pitching staff, as they broke the franchise’s 1st half all-time wins record.

It was a pure pitchers' duel from the start. RHP Marlon De La Cruz threw a 1-2-3 inning to get the game going. After a walk and hit batter to start the second, De La Cruz forced a fly out and got Andruw Mussett to hit into a double play to get out of the 2nd, facing just four batters. The 3rd was where the FredNats starter got into the most trouble. After a leadoff walk and double play, De La Cruz allowed his only extra base hit, a double off the wall from Avinson Pinto, but he struck out the ensuing batter.

Marlon De La Cruz has now allowed just two runs across 10.2 innings as a starter. Behind him, the relievers were just as good today. Kevin Davis came in and got the final two outs of the fourth on just two pitches. Travis Stehle was the next out of the bullpen entering in the 5th inning. The MiLB rehabber was excellent, with a 1-2-3 inning in his first inning of work, before settling in and throwing four scoreless to get the extended save.

On the offensive side, the Fredericksburg bats were silenced for the first six innings. In the 7th, it was small ball that did the work, as Dashyll Tejeda reached on a leadoff walk, before stealing 2nd and 3rd before being brought home by Sir Jamison Jones on a sacrifice fly. The FredNats got some insurance as Hunter Hines hit his first Single-A home run, plating two, to put the FredNats up 3-0.

With the win, the 2026 Fredericksburg Nationals break the franchise’s all-time 1st half wins record, surpassing the 1982 Alexandria Dukes. The FredNats look to wrap up the second half with another win tomorrow. LHP Liam Sullivan takes the bump against RHP Cole Tolbert.