The Bird Dawgs came out swinging in their home opener, but the Quebec Capitales proved to be a tough opponent, handing Down East a 9-1 loss at Kinston, N.C.

The game started as a pitcher's duel, with both teams locked in a scoreless battle through the first four innings. Bird Dawgs starter Rolando Heredia-Bustos looked sharp, allowing just two hits and keeping the Capitales off the board. On the other side, Quebec's Adam Shoemaker matched him pitch for pitch, striking out seven batters in his four-inning outing.

But the fifth inning changed everything. The Capitales erupted for five runs, highlighted by a three-run homer from Chavez Young. Young wasn't done there—he added another RBI in the eighth to seal the deal for Quebec.

The Bird Dawgs managed to scratch across a single run in the bottom half of the fifth when Danell Figueroa drove in Trotter Harlan with an RBI groundout. But that was all the offense Down East could muster, as the Capitales' pitching staff held them to just four hits on the day.

It was a tough way to open the home schedule, but the Bird Dawgs will have a chance to bounce back quickly. The two teams are set to face off again on March 13, with first pitch scheduled for 11 a.m. Fans will be hoping for a stronger showing as the team looks to even the series.