Columbia Splits Doubleheaders with Pelicans
COLUMBIA, SC – The Fireflies split a doubleheader with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, starting with a 10-6 loss and ending with a 5-3 win at Segra Park Friday Night. Columbia is now 10-3 in the second half and continues to pace the South division, and are three games in front
COLUMBIA, SC – The Fireflies split a doubleheader with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, starting with a 10-6 loss and ending with a 5-3 win at Segra Park Friday Night. Columbia is now 10-3 in the second half and continues to pace the South division, and are three games in front of the Pelicans.
Game 1
The bats really exploded at the end of game one, the two squads combined to score eight in the ninth as Myrtle Beach took home the game 10-6.
The Pelicans sent up nine hitters in the top of the ninth, scoring five runs. The scoring started with a Felix Stevens homer that led off the frame, and then continued as Josue Huma and Juan Mora collected RBI doubles and Kevin Made closed out the inning with an RBI single.
Columbia extended a few streaks in the contest. River Town hit a two-RBI double over Ezequiel Pagan’s head in left field in the sixth that extended his on-base streak to 22-games. Then in seventh frame, Guillermo Quintana hit a lead-off homer. It was the first baseman’s seventh homer of the season and it pushed his hitting streak to 10 games.
Prior to the tarp coming on the field, the Fireflies trailed the Pelicans 4-0 with two outs in the top of the fifth. Myrtle Beach jumped on the board in the top of the first, when Josue Huma led the inning off with a double and scored on a Kevin Made single.
The Pelicans got some insurance in the top of the seventh when Ethan Hearn smashed his fifth homer of the season to right.
After resuming the game, the Fireflies were able to jump on the board first in the sixth inning, when River Town roped a double over the head of Ezequiel Pagan in left field that scored Gary Camarillo and Jean Ramirez to cut Myrtle Beach’s lead to 4-2.
The Pelicans tallied three additional runs in the top of the fifth as the rain started to come down. Jacob Wetzel hit his fifth homer to lead off the inning and then with Ethan Hearn and Huma on the base paths, Kevin Alcantara lifted a single to right that plated the pair.
Game 2
Columbia jumped out in a hurry on starter Richard Gallardo (L, 4-6). They scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning to snatch the lead from Myrtle Beach. The frame started with a infield hustle single from Jean Ramirez before River Town and Carter Jensen drew one out walks to load the bases. Next, Enrique Valdez laced a double to right-center that put Columbia up 2-0. Next, Guillermo Quintana reached on an error to score Jensen and Valdez scored the final run on a balk from Gallardo that put the Fireflies up 4-0 prior to the end of the first.
Myrtle Beach loaded up the bases in the second with no one out, but Luinder Avila (W, 5-6) pulled a Houdini act, stranding all three runners to keep the shutout intact. The Pelicans did end up scratching the scoreboard. In the third inning, Ezequiel Pagan singled to score James Triantos for the team’s lone run of the game.
Valdez got one last RBI in the bottom of the fifth inning, sending home Ramirez, who had a three-hit game. Myrtle Beach closed out the game with Kevin Alcantara’s 11th homer of the season, which scored James Triantos to cut Columbia’s lead to 5-3.
The Fireflies continue their series with the Pelicans tomorrow night at 6:05 pm at Segra Park. RHP Ben Kudrna (0-3, 2.33 ERA) toes the rubber for Columbia and Myrtle Beach counters with RHP Jose Miguel Gonzalez (6-0, 4.35 ERA).