Rojas Drives in Five, Pelicans Bounce Fireflies 13-2

By Sam Weiderhaft

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans became the first team in the Carolina League to 50 wins as they routed the Columbia Fireflies 13-2 in Tuesday’s series opener. The win pushed Myrtle Beach to 50-34 and 11-8 in the second half while Columbia dropped to 44-40 and 9-10 in the second half.

With their seventh double-digit run performance of the season, the Pelicans turned 13 hits into 13 runs as Jefferson Rojas (2-5, HR, 5 RBI, BB) broke out for a five-RBI game, highlighted by a grand slam in the bottom of the sixth inning, the fifth by a Pelican this season. Parker Chavers (4-4, 2 2B, 2 RBI, BB) logged the fourth four-hit game by a Pelican this season with two doubles and two singles. Myrtle Beach drew 10 walks in the win, setting a new single-game season high.

Nick Hull (5-2) tossed 5 2/3 shutout innings to record the win with five strikeouts and just two walks and four hits allowed. Jose Romero was charged with the two earned runs in the top of the ninth and Angel Hernandez got the final two outs to shut the door on the 11-run victory.

Erick Pena (2-4, HR, RBI) helped the Fireflies avoid the shutout with a solo home run to lead off the top of the ninth. Jean Ramirez (2-3) smacked two single sand Wilmin Candelario (2-2) pinch-hit later in the game and also logged a multi-hit game.

Fireflies’ starter Andres Diaz (0-1) lasted just three innings with five runs, four earned allowed in his start off six hits and two walks. Marcus Olivarez gave up the grand slam to Rojas in the sixth. The 13 runs were the most given up by Columbia this season.

The Pelicans wasted no time in getting on the board with a three-run first. With one out and Reivaj Garcia on second after his double, Rojas went to left center for an RBI double for the game’s first run. Later in the inning, Chavers drilled a double to left center to score Rojas. With a runner on third, Rafael Morel would reach on a fielding error at shortstop to plate the third run for an early 3-0 lead.

Myrtle Beach added on with two more in the second. With runners on first and second and two outs, Andy Garriola rolled a single up the middle to bring in David Avitia and put runners on the corners. Chavers followed with an RBI single to increase the lead to 5-0.

After a quiet next three innings, Olivarez was brought out of the bullpen to face the Pelicans in the bottom of the sixth. After giving up a double and two walks, Rojas hit his grand slam to left field to blast the lead open to 9-0. It was his second home run of the season.

The Pelicans would follow with a pair of runs in the seventh and eighth innings. With the bases loaded in the seventh, pitcher Wesley Scott threw a wild pitch as Avitia scored. The second run would score on a hit-by-pitch to Cristian Hernandez to make it 11-0.

The two-run eight featured an RBI single by Reivaj Garcia and a wild pitch by Samuel Valerio that scored Avitia as the Birds went up 13-0.

Pena led off the top of the ninth with a solo home run to right center field to avoid the shutout. The second run scored on an RBI groundout by Omar Hernandez to second base as a run crossed the plate to bring the deficit down to 11.

The Pelicans will square off against the Fireflies in the second game of the series on Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m.