Pelicans Offense Stalls, Birds Fall in Series Opener 5-3
After taking the lead in the first inning, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans could not get the offense going after the second as they fell in Tuesday’s series opener to the Fredericksburg Nationals 5-3. The loss dropped the Birds to 13-20 while the Nationals moved up to 23-11. Alfonsin Rosario (1-4,
After taking the lead in the first inning, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans could not get the offense going after the second as they fell in Tuesday’s series opener to the Fredericksburg Nationals 5-3. The loss dropped the Birds to 13-20 while the Nationals moved up to 23-11.
Alfonsin Rosario (1-4, 2B, RBI) brought home a run on an RBI double to center in the first inning while Fabian Pertuz (1-3, 2B, RBI, BB) and Leonel Espinoza (1-5, RBI) brought home the other two runs. The Birds left seven on base and went 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position.
Starter Erian Rodriguez (2-3) allowed four earned runs in his 3 2/3 innings off four hits and a walk while striking out four to take the loss. Kenyi Perez struck out five in his three innings with one earned run with a hit and two walks allowed.
The Nationals were led by Cristian Vaquero (1-1, 2B, 2 RBI, 3 BB) who reached base four times and drove in two on a double in the second inning. Four of the five Fredericksburg runs were scored in the second.
Fredericksburg continued their bullpen dominance with Mason Denaburg (3-0) taking the win after pitching three shutout frames out of the bullpen Thomas Schultz grabbed his league-leading seventh save by closing out the ninth.
The Pelicans grabbed an early lead courtesy of a two-out double off the centerfield wall by Rosario that drove in the runner from first to put the Birds up 1-0.
After Rodriguez struck out the first batter of the second, five straight Nationals reached base as four runs came across. With two on, Armando Cruz doubled to left to score the first run. Everett Cooper III singled to bring the runner home from third and put runners on the corners. After Cooper III stole second, Vaquero laced a double to right that brought two more runs in to give the Nationals a 4-1 lead.
The Pelicans responded with two runs in the bottom of the second off an RBI double by Pertuz and a two-out RBI single by Espinoza to bring the Birds within one.
The score stayed 4-3 until the ninth when the Nationals added an insurance run. With two outs and runners on the corners, Brandon Pimentel singled to left to bring the run in.
The second game of the series is set for Wednesday afternoon at 12:05 p.m.