From the FredNats:
The Delmarva Shorebirds picked up a series-opening win over the Fredericksburg Nationals, 11-6. Delmarva snagged the early lead, right away in the top of the first. Jackson Holliday lashed a one-out single, then Anderson De Los Santos singled as well to put two runners on for Creed Willems. The red-hot Willems then picked up the third base hit of the inning, an RBI single to plate Holliday, to make it 1-0.
Fredericksburg got the bats going in the bottom of the second inning, which began with a full-count walk to Armando Cruz followed by a Max Romero Jr. single. A wild pitch then allowed both runners to advance a base, before successive sacrifice flies from Roismar Quintana and Sammy Infante plated a pair of runs to put the FredNats ahead 2-1.
But in the very next half inning, the Shorebirds had a response. Holliday reached with a leadoff walk, then quickly scored when Samuel Basallo hammered an RBI double right behind him. After another De Los Santos single, Stiven Acevedo tapped into a bizarre fielder’s choice sequence that scored a run, but saw Acevedo thrown out at second base for the third out of the inning. All told, it was a two-spot in the inning to put Delmarva back ahead 3-2.
After a scoreless bottom of the third, Elio Prado and Anthony Servideo both drew walks to open up the fourth, then a sacrifice fly pushed Prado to third base. He was able to score on another sac fly from Carter Young. Jackson Holliday reached base for the third time in the game on a single, before Samuel Basallo lined a three-run home run just over the high left field wall, making it 7-2 Delmarva.
Creed Willems walked to begin the fifth for Delmarva, then Stiven Acevedo doubled to drive him home. Later in the frame, Servideo rapped into an RBI ground out to make it 9-2 Shorebirds.
Fredericksburg did not go away though, as Sammy Infante picked up an RBI double in the sixth and Armando Cruz laced a two-run double in the seventh to pull the Freddies within four runs, at 9-5.
In the bottom of the eighth, Alejandro Mendez walked three straight FredNats to bring the tying run to the plate with nobody out. Yet Mendez found another gear, and struck out the next two batters and induced a pop-up to escape the inning without allowing a run.
After adding two more runs in the top of the ninth, Mendez once again walked the bases loaded before being lifted in favor of Luis Sanchez. The new arm did allow one run to cross, but held on to give Delmarva an 11-6 victory. Riley Cornelio took his second loss of the year, while Edgar Portes picked up his third win of 2023.
Jake Bennett takes the bump for Fredericksburg in game two, against Juan Nunez for Delmarva in a 12:05 start time.
