The Delmarva Shorebirds defeated the Salem RidgeYaks 7-3 Saturday night, Aug. 15, 2026, in Salisbury, Maryland. Brayan Orrantia earned his first professional win, pitching a career-high five innings of relief.
Delmarva entered the game with a 40-73 overall record and a 17-30 mark in the Carolina League, while Salem stood at 49-62 overall and 24-22 in the league. The victory restored the Shorebirds’ series lead and set up a chance to claim the series Sunday.
Shorebirds Build Early Leads Behind Strong Offense and Pitching
The Shorebirds took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Salem pitcher Sadbiel Delzine balked with runners at the corners, allowing Jimmy Anderson to score. Delmarva added two runs in the third on two-out RBI singles by Elvin Garcia and Miguel Rodriguez.
Esteban Mejia started for Delmarva and threw three scoreless innings, extending his streak to five consecutive scoreless innings since his last start. In the fourth inning, Félix Amparo scored on an error after a ball hit by Jhomnardo Reyes, extending the lead to 4-0.
Sixth-Inning Rally Extends Shorebirds’ Lead Further
Delmarva scored three times in the sixth inning to take a commanding 7-0 lead. Jhomnardo Reyes drove in a run with a single, marking his first multi-hit game with the Shorebirds, followed by a two-run single from Stiven Martinez.
Orrantia earned the win, delivering five innings of relief – the longest relief outing of his career. Delzine took the loss for the RidgeYaks, dropping to 0-1 on the season.
RidgeYaks Rally Falls Short in Final Innings
The RidgeYaks began their comeback attempt in the eighth inning with back-to-back home runs from Wills Maginnis and Franklin Primera, cutting Delmarva’s lead to 7-2. Salem added another run in the ninth inning on Colton Coats’ sacrifice fly, trimming the deficit to four runs.
Salem then loaded the bases with two outs but could not capitalize, as Brandon Downer ended the game by inducing a groundout from Skylar King to preserve the Shorebirds’ victory.
Series Finale Set for Sunday
The Delmarva Shorebirds aim to clinch the series win Sunday against the Salem RidgeYaks. Francisco Morao is scheduled to pitch for Delmarva against Jose Bello, with first pitch slated for 5:05 p.m.
Maryland Sports Blog Take
The Delmarva Shorebirds combined timely offense with strong relief pitching to secure a 7-3 victory. Their six-run lead built through key hits and capitalizing on opponent mistakes stood firm despite the RidgeYaks’ late rally. Orrantia’s milestone win and Reyes’ multi-hit performance were pivotal.
Salem’s back-to-back home runs energized their rally but fell short against Downer’s clutch groundout to end the game. The Shorebirds regained the series lead and look to finish strong in Sunday’s matchup.
Source: Original report
