Pelicans Outslug Nats in Opener

FREDERICKSBURG, VA - The Myrtle Beach Pelicans won a 11-6 slugfest in the series opener against the FredNats.

The Pelicans jumped on Jarlin Susana in the top of the first inning. Reivaj Garcia and Rafael Morel each singled, then Jefferson Rojas got hit by a pitch to load the bases. Andy Garriola singled to plate the first run, then Susana walked Parker Chavers to force in another run. Later, Cristian Hernandez added a third run in the frame to make it 3-0, as Susana could not escape the first inning.

Mason Denaburg got the final out of the first inning, then worked into the top of the third with the game still at 3-0. But with two men aboard, Pedro Ramirez dealt a crushing blow with his three-run home run to give Myrtle Beach a 6-0 edge.

But in the home half of the third, Fredericksburg got the momentum going back their way. Cortland Lawson worked a leadoff walk, and scampered to third on an errant pickoff throw. Lawson came around to score on a Johnathon Thomas single, before Tuda swiped second base and took third on a fielder’s choice ground out. Leandro Emiliani then smoked an RBI double to the wall in right-center, and Sammy Infante followed with a single down the left field line as the FredNats cut the deficit to 6-3.

Myrtle Beach added a run in the top of the fourth on a Parker Chavers single, but Fredericksburg pulled right back to within three runs when a wild pitch allowed Roismar Quintana to score from third base.

The fifth inning came and went without a run, before the Pelicans got the bats rolling again in the sixth. With two outs, Andy Garriola doubled into left field, before Parker Chavers lofted a lazy fly ball to left as well. However, Quintana dropped what would have been the third out, and Garriola scored. Later in the frame, Cristian Hernandez floated a ball into center field that Thomas dove at and missed, with the ball running all the way to the warning track. Chavers scored easily, and a poor relay throw allowed Hernandez to score too with a little league-style home run to make it 10-4.

Fredericksburg got the deficit to 10-5 on a De La Cruz RBI groundout, and later 11-6, but Myrtle Beach held the Nationals right there to win the series opener. Susana suffered the loss, while Nick Hull bumped his record to 6-2. In game two, Riley Cornelio takes the ball for Fredericksburg against Jackson Ferris.