The Delmarva Shorebirds fell 7-2 to the Hickory Crawdads on Aug. 22, 2026, in Hickory, N.C., despite five strong innings from Brayan Orrantia. Delmarva entered the game with a 42-77 overall record and a 19-34 record in their division.
The Shorebirds went 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position and stranded 10 runners. The Hickory Crawdads entered the game with a 70-46 overall record and a 36-16 record within their division.
Miguel Rodriguez Gives Delmarva an Early Lead
Neither team scored during the first three innings before Miguel Rodriguez hit an RBI single for Delmarva. The hit gave the Shorebirds a 1-0 lead and ended a 13-inning scoreless drought against Hickory pitching.
The Hickory Crawdads answered with a two-run single from Paulino Santana. A wild pitch brought home another run, putting Hickory ahead 3-1.
Hickory Crawdads Pull Away
Adriander Mejia cut the deficit to 3-2 with an RBI single in the sixth inning. Hickory responded in the next half-inning when Josh Springer hit a run-scoring single after a two-out error, restoring the Crawdads’ two-run lead.
Deward Tovar broke the game open in the eighth inning with a three-run home run. The homer, identified as Tovar’s 16th of the season in the source, gave Hickory a 7-2 lead.
Brayan Orrantia Takes the Loss
Brandon Jaenke earned the win for Hickory with a 1-0 record. Brayan Orrantia took the loss for Delmarva with a 1-7 record despite throwing five strong innings in his second appearance.
The series was scheduled to conclude Sunday, with Collin McKinney scheduled to make his professional debut against Hickory’s Josh Owens. First pitch was scheduled for 2 p.m.
MSB Analysis
Delmarva ended its own 13-inning scoreless drought against Hickory pitching when Miguel Rodriguez delivered the early RBI single. The Shorebirds stayed within one run after Adriander Mejia’s sixth-inning hit, but Hickory responded in the next half-inning and added three runs in the eighth.
Delmarva’s 2-for-10 performance with runners in scoring position and 10 stranded runners reflected the missed opportunities in the 7-2 defeat. Brayan Orrantia kept the Shorebirds within reach through five strong innings, while Deward Tovar’s three-run homer gave the Crawdads their largest lead.
Source: Original report
