Gatewood homers twice in 3-2 loss in Myrtle Beach

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - Jake Gatewood hit a game tying solo home run in the second and hit a majestic solo home run in the ninth, but Justin Steele and the Pelicans held the rest of the Carolina offense quiet as the Mudcats lost 3-2 on Saturday night in Myrtle Beach.

The loss dropped the Mudcats to 2.5 games back of the first place Pelicans (36-26) in the first half standings. It also dropped Carolina into a one game to two series deficit in the four game set in Myrtle Beach.
Gatewood was 3-for-4 and accounted for three of Carolina's five total hits and managed to score and drive in both Carolina (33-28) runs with his eighth and ninth home runs of the season in Saturday's game.
Steele (4-3, 2.51) started for the Pelicans and allowed just the one run on three hits over six innings pitched. He also worked around two walks and struck out eight in the victory.
Cody Ponce took the loss despite working through a quality start and striking out six over six innings pitched. Ponce (5-5, 3.70) allowed a leadoff home run to Byrant Flete in the first and gave up two runs in the third before leaving the game. Ponce ended up with a season high three walks and hit a batter while finishing with 99 pitches (59 strikes) in Saturday's loss.
The two run Myrtle Beach fourth started with a Daniel Spingola double to right and a run scoring single to left-center from Eddy Martinez. Ponce eventually settled the rally down with two quick outs, but later gave up a RBI single to Robert Garcia and the Pelicans managed to take a 3-1 lead in the fourth.
The 3-1 Myrtle Beach lead held through the eighth before Gatewood hit his second homer of the game in the ninth off Miller (S, 3). The home run ended up being the fifth and final hit for the Mudcats in the game as Miller went on to retire the next three he faced to finish the game.
Miller earned the save after pitching through the final three innings of Saturday's game in Myrtle Beach. He finished with a run allowed on just two hits and struck out three for the Pelicans.
The Mudcats finished the game 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position and left five men on base. Two of the five they left on base came in the fourth after Carolina left Lucas Erceg and Gatewood at second and third respectively in the frame. Gatewood singled up the middle with one out in the fourth and Erceg moved him to third with a double before Steele eventually escaped the inning without allowing a run. 
Eric Hanhold finished the game out of the pen for the Mudcats and worked through two scoreless frames. He finished with one hit allowed and one strikeout over two innings pitched.
UP NEXT: The series will conclude on Sunday night in Myrtle Beach with the first pitch at TicketReturn.Com Field scheduled for 6:05 p.m. Newly promoted right-hander Trey Supak (1-0, 6.00) will start for the Mudcats in Sunday's finale, while Mike Rucker (1-0, 1.76) will go for the Pelicans.

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