Shorebirds defeat Hillcats, 8-2

The Delmarva Shorebirds handed the Lynchburg Hillcats an 8-2 loss in Game 1 of a scheduled makeup doubleheader, and then the rain handed everyone a loss in Game 2, forcing a rescheduled doubleheader for Friday.

After two scoreless innings on Wednesday night, what became Game 1 on Thursday resumed in the top of the third. New Hillcats (16-15) pitcher Miguel Vinicio pitched a shutout first frame, but the Shorebirds (22-9) tallied in the top of the fourth after Gunnar Henderson doubled and scored on a fielder’s choice.

Delmarva hurler Houston Roth retired the first nine Lynchburg batters he faced, giving the Shorebirds a chance to extend their 1-0 lead. With Jaime Arias now on the mound for Lynchburg in the sixth, Delmarva poured on three runs, all unearned, after the Hillcats committed three errors in one frame. The miscues put the Shorebirds up 4-0.

Lynchburg cut the lead in half in the bottom of the inning against Roth. Yordys Valdes walked, and moved along on a Gabriel Rodriguez one out single to left. Both runners came home when Yanier Diaz smoked a double for RBIs 15 and 16 on the year. The two runs made it 4-2 heading into the seventh.

Both teams were silent in the 7th, however the Shorebirds put the nail in the coffin in the top of the 8th. Lynchburg hurler Cade Smith walked three batters and gave up a hit, coming out after two outs on the mound. The highlight for the Shorebirds was a triple to left center field that scored Hudson Haskin and ballooned their lead to 8-2.

Daritzon Feliz pitched a scoreless top of the ninth, but the Lynchburg bats did not have enough juice for a six run rally.

After a bout of rain the Hillcats and Shorebirds rescheduled their doubleheader until Friday.