Wetzel Breaks Franchise RBI Record, Pelicans Shutout RiverDogs 9-0

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans clinched their first series win of the year with a 9-0 blanking of the Charleston RiverDogs on Saturday night. With a two-run triple in the third inning, Jacob Wetzel became the Pelicans career RBI record holder with 117. The Birds’ record improved to 23-26 while the RiverDogs slipped to 20-29.

Wetzel (1-5, 3B, 2 RBI) pushed his hitting streak to nine with his triple. Reggie Preciado (3-5, 2B, 2 RBI) drove in two on a double and Alfonsin Rosario (2-4, 3B, 2 RBI, BB) knocked in two more on a triple. The Pelicans smacked three triples with Ismael Mena (2-2, 3B, 2 BB) also getting three bases.

The pitching staff held the RiverDogs to just one hit as Marino Santy (1-1) earned his first win of the year with eight strikeouts through four hitless innings. Juan Bello struck out a career-high eight batters through his four shutout frames with one hit allowed. Francis Reynoso closed the door in the ninth with two strikeouts.

Charleston’s one hit came from Adrian Santana (1-4) with a single in the first. The RiverDogs walked four times and left seven on base.

Starter Drew Dowd (0-3) took the loss with four earned runs off six hits and three walks in his 3 2/3 innings. Cesar De Jesus gave up four more runs while getting just two outs in relief.

The Pelicans got on top in the third with a four-run inning. Wetzel’s triple to right-center brought home two to set the franchise RBI record. Cristian Hernandez followed with an RBI single and Miguel Pabon brought home the fourth run on an RBI groundout.

Four more runs scored in the sixth as the Birds lengthened their lead. Preciado doubled down the left field line to score two and Rosario later tripled to deep center that brought home another pair to extend the lead to 8-0.

The final run came in the eighth when Mena scored on a balk following his triple.

The series concluded on Sunday night at 6:05 p.m.