Peña, Vega Lead FredNats to Series Split

FREDERICKSBURG, VA - Viandel Peña hit his first FredNats homer and Onix Vega drove in three runs as the Fredericksburg Nationals defeated the first-place Delmarva Shorebirds 7-2 on Sunday afternoon, securing a split in the finale of their six-game series.

Lucas Knowles worked the first 3.2 innings of the ballgame in a spot start for Fredericksburg, scattering two hits and three walks in a scoreless outing. He was relieved by Gilberto Chu (W, 1-0), who earned the win with 2.1 hitless innings of relief in his FredNats debut.

The FredNats jumped ahead with a three-run second inning against Shorebirds starter Shane Davis (L, 2-1), turning a single and a pair of walks into the game's first run on an RBI groundout from J.T. Arruda. Vega then singled past a drawn-in infield to drive in his first two runs of the season.

Jeremy De La Rosa led off the third with a sun-aided bloop double, and scored on a Junior Martina single. In the fourth, Arruda came in on Peña's two-run blast into the Delmarva bullpen. It was the 20-year-old's first professional home run since 2018, when he was playing in the Dominican Summer League.

Chu and Tomás Alastre maintained the Fredericksburg lead into the late innings, and Vega added a sacrifice fly in the eighth for his third RBI of the afternoon. Leif Strom struck out a pair in a scoreless ninth to finish off the win.

The FredNats have Monday off before heading to Salem for a six-game series against the Red Sox on Tuesday. First pitch from Haley Toyota Field is scheduled for 7:05, with FredNats On Deck beginning at 6:50 on the FredNats Baseball Network.