Pelicans Allow Two in the Ninth, Fall to Fireflies 5-4
By Sam Weiderhaft After taking the lead in the seventh, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans sacrificed two in the ninth and lost to the Columbia Fireflies 5-4 on Saturday night. It was the Birds’ fourth loss in a row as the Fireflies clinched the series victory. With the loss, the Pelicans
By Sam Weiderhaft
After taking the lead in the seventh, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans sacrificed two in the ninth and lost to the Columbia Fireflies 5-4 on Saturday night. It was the Birds’ fourth loss in a row as the Fireflies clinched the series victory. With the loss, the Pelicans dropped to 26-35 while the Fireflies moved up to 34-26. Saturday’s game was the 6th annual Deaf Awareness Night with the Pelicans wearing their original 2018 jerseys.
Cristian Hernandez (3-5, HR, 2 2B, 2 RBI) powered the Pelicans with three extra-base hits including a go-ahead home run in the seventh. Andy Garriola (2-3, HR, RBI, BB) hit a solo home run in the second and Reggie Preciado (2-5, RBI) also brought home a run on a single. The Pelicans went 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position.
With two unearned runs in the ninth, Sam Thoresen (0-1) took the loss and blew the save off a hit a two walks. Kenyi Perez came in and gave up a walk and hit a batter to put the Fireflies in front. Starter Juan Bello allowed three earned runs through the first five innings off five hits and two walks with four strikeouts.
Blake Mitchell (1-2, 2 RBI, BB) brought home two on a sacrifice fly and a hit-by-pitch to lead the Fireflies’ lineup. Austin Charles (2-4) scored two runs and scored two runs in the victory. Erick Pena (1-2, 3B, 2 BB) reached base three times with a triple and two walks.
With five innings in relief, Emmanuel Reyes (4-1) allowed two earned runs and struck out five. Starter Blake Wolters allowed two earned runs through four innings off five hits and three walks.
The Pelicans scored first for the fifth straight game with a two-run second. Garriola hit the first pitch over the left-center field wall for a solo homer and his league-leading 12th of the season. With two outs and runners on first and second, Preciado lined a single to left to score the runner from second for an early 2-0 lead.
Columbia tied it in the top of the third. With runners on the corners, Bello threw a wild pitch to score the first run. Mitchell followed with a sacrifice fly to center that tied the game.
Bello threw another wild pitch in the top of the fourth that scored Charles from third to put the Fireflies in front 3-2.
The Pelicans took a 4-3 lead in the seventh as Cristian Hernandez hit a two-run home run to left field with his brother, Alexis, on second base. It was his third of the season.
Thoresen came out for the ninth and gave up a single and a walk. Both runners stole to move into scoring position, and Gabriel Silva hit a chopper to short that was missed by Cristian Hernandez as the tying run came in. Perez came out of the bullpen and hit Mitchell with the bases loaded to put the Fireflies in front 5-4.
The series concludes on Sunday evening at 6:35 p.m.