Walk-Off Error Gives Pelicans Series-Opening Victory over Mudcats

It’s the sixth walk-off win for Myrtle Beach this season

By Sam Weiderhaft

With two outs and a runner on second in the bottom of the 10th, Robert Moore dropped a pop-up from Kevin Alcantara as Juan Mora scored the winning run, giving the Myrtle Beach Pelicans a 5-4 win over the Carolina Mudcats on Tuesday night. The win moves the Birds up to 76-51, with a 29-32 second-half record. The Mudcats dropped to 67-60 and 33-28 in the second half and have officially been eliminated from the playoffs with Fredericksburg’s win over Salem.

The Pelicans stranded just four with eight hits in the game. Alcantara (2-5, HR, 2 RBI) led everybody with two runs batted in on his home run in the bottom of the third. Juan Mora (2-4, HR, RBI) hit a solo homer and a single in the victory. Parker Chavers (1-2, RBI) also added a sacrifice fly in the 10th.

Angel Hernandez (4-3) was the pitcher on the mound for the final two innings as he allowed an unearned run with one strikeout. In his Pelicans debut, Oliver Roque had a blown save with one unearned run in his two frames with a walk and a strikeout.

The Mudcats had 75 percent of their production come from Jesus Chirinos (2-3, HR, 2B, 3 RBI, 2 BB) as he reached base four times with a two-run homer and RBI double. Carolina left 10 runners base, while going 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position.

Tuesday’s loss went to Pablo Garabitos (6-1) despite his impressive outing with two unearned runs allowed in 4 2/3 innings with five strikeouts. Starter Arielbi Gonzalez pitched the first five frames with three earned runs off the two home runs.

After Gonzalez retired the first seven Pelican hitters, Mora hit a solo home run in the bottom of the third to give the Pelicans an early lead. His home run to left was his sixth of the season. After Chavers singled, Alcantara lined a two-run homer over the wall in left for his 15th of the year as the Birds left the third inning with a 3-0 lead.

Carolina put two runs on the board in the top of the fifth. With Eric Brown on base and two outs, Chirinos hit a two-run homer in the corner in right field for his 12th of the year.

Chirinos struck again with two outs to tie the game in the top of the seventh. With a runner on second, Chirinos lined a 2-1 pitch over Alcantara in center field that scored Jace Avina to tie the game 3-3.

The tie carried over into extra innings as the Mudcats scored in their half of the 10th. With runners on the corners and one out, Eduarqui Fernandez popped up to Mora at second. Mora threw home after making the catch. Catcher Moises Ballesteros quickly throw it to third but sailed the throw down the left field line as Avina scored the go-ahead run that put Carolina up 4-3.

The Pelicans responded in their half as Mora put runners on the corners with a one-out single. Chavers followed with a sacrifice fly to left that scored James Triantos from third to tie the game 4-4. Alcantara came up and popped up the second pitch of his at-bat. Moore could not make the catch on the grass in shallow right field as Mora came home to score from second to give the Pelicans a walk-off win 5-4.

The Pelicans and Mudcats will meet for the second game of the series on Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m.