Birds Grab First Victory 9-2 over Woodpeckers

By Sam Weiderhaft

In a completely opposite performance of opening night, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans bounced back to win their first game of the season 9-2 over the Fayetteville Woodpeckers on Saturday night. The win puts the Pelicans at 1-1 to open the season as the Woodpeckers slipped to 1-1 as well.

After posting just five hits in the first game, the Birds’ lineup erupted for 15 hits with Wally Soto (3-5, 3 RBI) standing out with three singles and three RBI. Alexis Hernandez (4-5, RBI) posted the first four-hit performance of the season. Jacob Wetzel (2-2, RBI, 3 BB) reached base in all five plate appearances and scored two runs in the win. All 15 hits for Myrtle Beach were singles.

The pitching staff locked up the Woodpeckers with 17 strikeouts, led by starter Juan Bello with seven in 3 1/3 innings and just one run allowed. Erian Rodriguez (1-0) grabbed his first win of the season with 2 2/3 innings of scoreless baseball with just one hit allowed and five punchouts. The Pelicans walked just three in the second game of the year.

Fayetteville’s lineup was silent after their 10-run performance on Friday night. Alejandro Nunez (3-4, 3B, 2B) came a home run shy of the cycle while collecting half of the Woodpeckers’ hits. The top three hitters in the lineup combined to go 0-9 with seven strikeouts.

Juan Soto (0-1) sacrificed eight hits and three earned runs to take the loss in his 2 2/3 innings in his first start of the year. Ben Petschke followed with five earned runs in just over two innings out of the bullpen.

For the second night in a row, the Pelicans grabbed the lead first with a three-run third. After back-to-back singles and a double steal, Soto threw a wild pitch to score Cristian Hernandez from third for the first run. With Jacob Wetzel on third, Carter Trice drew a walk on another wild pitch to score Wetzel. Trice stole second and Soto knocked his first hit with a single to right field to put the Birds up 3-0.

The Woodpeckers responded in the top of the fourth as Chase Jaworsky stole third and came in to score on a wild throw by Soto behind the plate.

A six-run sixth by the Pelicans put the game out of reach. Wetzel drew a bases-loaded walk and Petschke threw a wild pitch to extend the Myrtle Beach lead to 5-1. With runners on second and third, Garriola grounded an RBI single to left. After a pitching change put Wilmy Sanchez on the mound, Soto brought home two on another single to right field. Alexis Hernandez later hit a single with Soto on third as the Pelicans blew Saturday night’s game open 9-1.

The final run for the Woodpeckers came in the top of the seventh as Nunez scored from third on a wild pitch following a triple.

The opening weekend series concludes on Sunday at the Pelicans and Woodpeckers meet for game three on Sunday at 6:05 p.m.