Birds Fall in Fifth Straight with 3-2 Loss to Cannon Ballers

By Sam Weiderhaft

With a strong pitching performance, but quiet bats, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans lost 3-2 to the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers in the series opener on Tuesday night. The fifth straight loss for the Pelicans dropped their record to 2-8 while the Cannon Ballers improved to 5-5.

The pitching staff limited the Cannon Ballers to just two hits as Kenten Egbert (0-1) took the loss with three runs, one earned allowed in his four innings after allowing a pair of home runs. The bullpen of Dominic Hambley and Francis Reynoso combined to toss five shutout innings without allowing a hit.

Andy Garriola (2-4, HR, RBI) paced the lineup with a pair of hits and a solo home run. Cristian Hernandez (1-4, RBI) also knocked in a run in the loss. The Pelicans collected five hits in the first game of the series.

Kannapolis used five arms with reliever Nick Altermatt (1-0) taking the win with 1 1/3 shutout innings while striking out two. Starter Drew McDaniel lasted 4 2/3 innings with two earned runs off three hits and three walks with five strikeouts. The final three pitchers in Billy Seidl, Bryce Collins, and Jesus Mendez tossed a combined three shutout innings with just two hits allowed and five strikeouts.

Two home runs powered the Cannon Ballers as Matt Hogan (1-3, HR, 2 RBI, BB) hit a two-run shot in the second and Albertson Asigen (1-4, HR, RBI) hit a solo homer in the third. Kannapolis didn’t get a hit in the final six innings.

With two outs in the top of the second and a runner on base, Hogan crushed a two-run homer to right for his second of the year to put Kannapolis in front 2-0.

It was a quick response from the Birds as Garriola lifted his second home run of the year to left field on the first pitch of the bottom half.

Kannapolis tallied their final run on a one-out solo shot from Asigen to left field to extend the lead to 3-1.

The Pelicans again answered in the bottom half after Alexis Hernandez walked then stole second to move into scoring position. Cristian Hernandez brought him in on a single to center to make it a one-run game.

Myrtle Beach got the tying run to second base with two outs in the bottom of the eighth before Carter Trice went down on strikes to end the frame.

The second game of the series between Kannapolis and Myrtle Beach is set for Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m.