The Fredericksburg Nationals were held to just two base hits in a 4-0 loss to the Delmarva Shorebirds on Tuesday.
Riley Cornelio started this final series on the hill for the FredNats, the Low-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals, and got through the first two innings scoreless, before he allowed a leadoff double to Angel Tejada in the third.
A wild pitch allowed Tejada to take third base, then Luis Valdez singled to drive Tejada in. Valdez then stole second base, before Jalen Vasquez doubled to right-center field, plating Valdez to make it 2-0 Delmarva.
Deivy Cruz held the Freddies scoreless and hitless through 3.2 innings, but Kelvin LaRoche worked into some trouble in the fifth frame. The righty hit Armando Cruz, then walked both Marcus Brown and Phillip Glasser to load the bases with only one out. LaRoche then got a strikeout looking and a pop out to escape the jam without any damage.
The Nats picked up their first hit with two outs in the top of the seventh, as Phillip Glasser reached on an infield single in his FredNats debut, but he was stranded at first base.
Delmarva, the Low-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, tacked on two more runs in the eighth inning, and held Fredericksburg to just two total hits in a 4-0 win for the Shorebirds.
LaRoche earned the win, Teddy Sharkey secured his second save, while Riley Cornelio took the loss.
Liam Sullivan and Jefrem Leon are set to start Games 1 and 2, respectively, of tomorrow’s doubleheader. Delmarva is set to throw Juan De Los Santos in Game 1, then Moises Chace in Game 2.