FREDERICKSBURG, VA - More than 5,500 fans packed Virginia Credit Union Stadium on the Fourth of July as the Fredericksburg Nationals (8-5, 38-40) edged out the Delmarva Shorebirds (3-10, 30-48) in a nail-biting 9-8 victory.

The night began shakily for the Fredericksburg Nationals, with starter Angel Roman surrendering three runs in the first inning on two walks and three hits. Delmarva’s Raylin Ramos delivered the big blow—a two-run triple—to help the Shorebirds jump out to a 3-0 lead.

Fredericksburg Nationals quickly responded with a six-run outburst in the bottom half. The Fredericksburg Nationals sent 12 batters to the plate, collecting three hits and drawing five walks. Francesco Barbieri and Luke Dickerson each doubled and reached base twice in the inning, while Nick Peoples added an RBI single. The rest of the runs came courtesy of free passes.

After the first inning, Fredericksburg led 6-3. By the end of the second, the score was 8-4, with Delmarva’s Colin Tuft hitting a solo homer and the FredNats answering with a Peoples double and a Roismar Quintana RBI single.

The game tightened as Delmarva chipped away, scoring twice in the fourth and once more in the sixth to make it 8-7. In the bottom of the sixth, Nick Peoples gave Fredericksburg breathing room with a towering solo home run to left, pushing the lead to 9-7.

Reliever Pablo Aldonis took over in the eighth, allowing a run but preserving the lead. The ninth inning brought drama as Aldonis hit two batters and walked another, but he struck out the side, capping the night with a called third strike with the bases loaded to seal the win.

Merritt Beeker (2-2) earned the victory, Grant Dorsey (0-1) took the loss, and Aldonis notched his second save. The Fredericksburg Nationals now lead the series 3-1 and will send Bryan Polanco (4-6, 4.07 ERA) to the mound for Saturday’s 7:05 p.m. matchup.