Four-Run Sixth Downs Pelicans in 8-4 Loss to Woodpeckers

By Sam Weiderhaft

In the first of nine-straight home games, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans fell in the series-opener to the Fayetteville Woodpeckers 8-4 on Tuesday night. The loss dropped the Birds to a 30-40 record and 1-3 in the second half, while the Woodpeckers improved to 31-39 and 2-2 in the second half.

Alfonsin Rosario (2-4, 2 RBI) led the Pelicans’ lineup with a pair of RBI singles. Miguel Pabon (1-3, HR, RBI, BB) hit a solo homer in the sixth for his second of the year. The Pelicans left eight runners on base and went 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position.

After sacrificing the four runs in the sixth, Kenyi Perez (1-1) took the loss after walking three and giving up two hits in the inning. Vince Reilly followed with one earned run in his one inning. Starter Kenten Egbert allowed three earned runs off a home run in the first but finished his outing with 11-straight batters retired and a career-high-tying eight strikeouts.

Nehomar Ochoa Jr. (1-5, HR, 3 RBI) hit a three-run homer in the first to lead the Woodpeckers and Cesar Hernandez (1-5, 2 RBI) also brought home a pair of runs on a single. Jancel Villarroel (2-3, 2B, RBI, 2 BB) posted a multi-hit game with an RBI in the victory.

In his Single-A debut, Engel Peralta (1-0) took the win with two earned runs in 3 2/3 innings and four strikeouts. Dawill Almonte picked up the save after keeping the Pelicans scoreless through the final 1 1/3 innings.

It was a tough first inning for Egbert after giving up a single and double to put two runners on. He allowed the three-run home run to Ochoa Jr. to left field for his fifth of the season as the Woodpeckers took a 3-0 lead.

The Pelicans got on the board with a pair of runs in the third. With a runner on first, Reggie Preciado lined a double to left to bring the first run in. He scored on Rosario’s single to left with two outs to make it 3-2.

A run for the Pelicans in the fifth tied the game up. With two outs and two on, Rosario hit another RBI single to left field to tie the game at three.

Fayetteville answered right back with a four-run sixth. After the bases loaded on three walks by Perez, Cesar Hernandez blooped a single to right field that scored two. He then stole second while the runner at third came home to score. Hernandez later scored on an infield single by Alejandro Nunez to increase the lead to 7-3.

With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, Pabon lifted a solo homer to left field to cut the lead to three.

The Woodpeckers got the run right back on a single by Villarroel in the seventh to go back up by four.

The Pelicans and Woodpeckers will meet for game two of the series on Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m.