Two comebacks not enough for FredNats in 13-8 loss

Though the Fredericksburg Nationals erased two deficits in Wednesday night’s game against the Delmarva Shorebirds, a six-run 10th inning was too much to overcome in a 13-8 loss.

The FredNats took a 5-4 lead into the ninth before allowing three runs, then forced extras with a rally of their own. The Shorebirds strung together six singles in the tenth for six runs, evening up the series at one game apiece.

In the first, Delmarva jumped on FredNats starter Rodney Theophile early with a two-run homer from Darell Hernaiz and an RBI single from Ryne Ogren. The FredNats answered back with a run against Shorebirds righty Shane Davis in the second as Leandro Emiliani scored Onix Vega on a groundout, but the Shorebirds would stretch the lead back to 4-1 in the third on an RBI single from Jean Carmona. Theophile allowed four runs, three earned, in 4.0 innings.

Defensive miscues in the sixth allowed the FredNats to tie the game. They scored three runs on only one hit, thanks to a wild pitch, a dropped fly ball and a fielder’s choice. In the seventh, Jake Boone led off with a single up the middle and Ricardo Méndez put the FredNats in front 5-4 with a perfectly executed squeeze bunt.

Tyler Yankosky (BS, 1) entered in the ninth trying to earn the save and preserve Fredericksburg’s perfect 16-0 record when leading after seven innings. Those intentions were complicated when Lamar Sparks led off the inning with a triple and scored on a wild pitch. Back-to-back errors from Yankosky and Jeremy De La Rosa gave the Shorebirds a 7-5 lead.

Protecting a two-run lead, Thomas Girard (W, 1-0) began the bottom of the ninth by allowing a single and a walk. A sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position, but after a Méndez RBI groundout the FredNats were down to their final strike. Junior Martina delivered a game-tying RBI single to tie the game 7-7 and force extras.

In the tenth, Troy Stainbrook (L, 1-1) got the first out before allowing five singles to bring home five runs. Bryan Peña allowed one more RBI single before finally ending the inning with the Shorebirds leading by six. Rickey Ramirez allowed Fredericksburg’s placed runner to score in the bottom of the tenth on a De La Rosa RBI single, but closed out the game for the Shorebirds.

The FredNats continue their series against the Shorebirds on Thursday night. First pitch from FredNats Ballpark is scheduled for 7:05, with FredNats On Deck beginning at 6:50 on the FredNats Baseball Network.