The Delmarva Shorebirds scored seven runs in the top of the ninth inning to take an 8-7 lead before falling 9-8 to the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers in a walk-off loss Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026, in Kannapolis, North Carolina. Grayson Fitzwater tied the game with an RBI double in the bottom of the ninth, and Clay Burdette followed with a sacrifice fly for the winning run.
Delmarva entered the game with a 44-84 overall record and a 21-41 record in the split provided by the source. Kannapolis came in at 68-60 overall and 35-27 in the split. Grant Cleavinger earned the win for the Cannon Ballers, improving to 2-1, while Connor Gehr took the loss for Delmarva, falling to 0-2.
Delmarva Shorebirds Turn Six-Run Deficit Into Ninth-Inning Lead
Jimmy Anderson gave the Shorebirds an early lead with an RBI single in the top of the second inning, driving home Carlos Sanchez. Kannapolis responded in the bottom half of the inning with a two-run single from Clay Burdette to take a 2-1 advantage.
Kannapolis extended its lead to 5-1 in the third inning on a combination of an RBI single by Stiven Flores, a wild pitch, and a sacrifice fly by Grayson Fitzwater. Fitzwater then added a two-run homer in the fifth, increasing the Cannon Ballers’ lead to 7-1.
Delmarva began its ninth-inning rally with three consecutive walks. Eric Booth Jr. followed with a two-run double, and Stiven Martinez added a run-scoring single to make it 7-4. A bases-loaded hit-by-pitch brought in a run for Carlos Sanchez, and Jemone Nuel followed with a bases-loaded walk that pulled Delmarva within one at 7-6. Anderson then put the Shorebirds ahead with a two-run double, completing the seven-run inning and giving Delmarva an 8-7 lead.
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers Complete Walk-Off Comeback
Kannapolis answered in the bottom of the ninth. Fitzwater hit an RBI double to tie the game, and Burdette followed with a sacrifice fly that delivered the Cannon Ballers’ 9-8 walk-off victory.
Fitzwater’s ninth-inning double came after his two-run home run in the fifth. Anderson drove in runs in both the second and ninth innings for Delmarva.
Next Game in the Series
The Delmarva Shorebirds are scheduled to continue the series against the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers on Thursday. Brayan Orrantia is set to start for Delmarva against Kannapolis starter Gabe Tanner. First pitch is at 7:00 p.m.
Maryland Sports Blog Take
The Delmarva Shorebirds’ seven-run ninth inning turned a 7-1 deficit into an 8-7 lead. Anderson played a central role in the comeback with his RBI single and two-run double, while Booth Jr., Martinez, Sanchez and Nuel also contributed to the rally.
Kannapolis responded before Delmarva could secure the win. Fitzwater’s RBI double and Burdette’s sacrifice fly completed the walk-off victory for the Cannon Ballers.
Source: Original report
