RiverDogs Take Series Finale over Pelicans 10-7

Charleston scored four runs in the ninth to move ahead

By Sam Weiderhaft

Going into the ninth inning tied 6-6, the Charleston RiverDogs plated four runs to defeat the Myrtle Beach Pelicans on Sunday night. Myrtle Beach took four of the six games this week and dropped to 52-23 with the loss. Charleston moved up to 49-26 after dropping their first series of the season. Sunday’s game wrapped up Red, White, and Blue weekend as a Pelicans Ballpark-record 6,600 fans attended the game and fireworks show following.

The Pelicans hit two more home runs to bring their total for the week up to 10. Jacob Wetzel (1-3, HR, 3 RBI, BB) and James Triantos (2-5, HR, 2 RBI) both went deep as the Pelicans set a new series-high for home runs. The Birds went 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position and left seven runners on.

Angel Hernandez (1-1) allowed the four earned runs in the ninth off two hits and two walks as he took the loss. Starter Porter Hodge lasted four innings with two earned runs off four hits and a pair of walks while tying his season-high with seven strikeouts. Myrtle Beach also committed two errors in the field.

The big blow came from Shane Sasaki (2-5, 2B, 3 RBI, 2 R) with a two-run double in the top of the ninth. Oneill Manzueta (3-5, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R) homered later in the inning while leading the RiverDogs with three hits. Logan Allen (1-3, HR, 3 RBI, BB) also hit a three-run home run in the sixth inning.

Jack Snyder (5-0) pitched the final two innings with one earned run from Triantos’ home run while striking out four. JJ Goss started and tossed four innings with five strikeouts and two earned runs.

For the fourth time in the series, the Pelicans scored in the first inning as two runs came across to score. After Josue Huma singled and Kevin Made doubled to place runners on second and third, Triantos hit an RBI groundout to the first baseman to bring in a run as Made moved to third. Goss threw a wild pitch to score Made as the Pelicans went up 2-0.

Charleston went on top with a three-run fourth. With runners on first and second, Sasaki lined a single to left as a run scored. Nathan Perry came up with runners on first and second with two outs and singled to right field that brought in two runs to put the RiverDogs up 3-2.

Felix Stevens walked to lead off the fifth and Wetzel hit his second home run of the week to right field to give the lead back to the Pelicans 4-3. It was Wetzel’s fourth home run of the season. The Pelicans would load the bases with nobody out in the inning but failed to score.

Allen’s home run came in the top of the sixth following two singles with two outs. His first home run of the season went to left field off Luis Rodriguez as the lead shifted back to Charleston at 6-4.

Runs came in the sixth and seventh innings for the Pelicans to tie the game. Ezequiel Pagan led off the sixth with a triple and came in on Wetzel’s RBI groundout.

In the seventh, Triantos hit an infield single to third base with runners on first and second. The throw by Willy Vasquez went wild to first as Huma came in to score to tie the game 6-6.

The tie game would go into the ninth as Sasaki lined a two-out double off the wall to score the runners from second and third with Charleston taking the leas 8-6. Manzueta followed with a two-run homer to left field for his fifth of the year.

Triantos lifted a solo homer to left-center field with one out to bring the deficit within three. The following two batters were retired to end the game.

The Pelicans will travel to Columbia for a game on the Fourth of July against the Fireflies at 6:05 p.m. and an off day following.