Ferris Dazzles in Debut, Pelicans Beat Fireflies 4-2

By Sam Weiderhaft

After dropping the first three contests this week, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans grabbed their first win over the Columbia Fireflies 4-2 on Friday night. The victory snapped the Birds’ losing streak and improved their record to 13-11, while the Fireflies now sit at 16-9.

In a relatively quiet offensive night, Cristian Hernandez (1-5, HR, RBI) provided a spark with his second home run of the season. Moises Ballesteros (2-5, 2B, RBI) posted a multi-hit game while Miguel Fabrizio (1-3, RBI, BB) also brought home a run for Myrtle Beach.

In his first game as a professional, the 2022 Cubs’ second-round pick Jackson Ferris struck out seven across three hitless innings in his start. The win went to Kevin Valdez (2-0) after holding the Fireflies to just one earned run in his four innings in relief with four strikeouts.

After posting double-digit runs in two of the first three games, the Columbia lineup was held to just four hits, all singles. Omar Florentino (1-3, RBI) drove home the only RBI of the game with a single. The bottom three of the lineup accounted for three of the four hits.

Starting pitcher Frank Mozzicato (0-1) came into Friday’s start having allowed just three earned runs in his first 19 innings. The lefty took the loss after allowing three runs, all earned in his 4 2/3 inning outing off three hits and four walks with seven strikeouts. John McMillon sacrificed the other run in the ninth.

The first two innings went scoreless before Hernandez lifted a solo home run in the top of the third to left center to give the Pelicans a 1-0 lead.

With Ferris keeping Columbia scoreless through three, the Pelicans added two more to their lead in the top of the fifth. Ballesteros came up with two outs and runners on first and second and grounded a single up the middle to score Cristian More from second and put runners on the corners. Hernandez later scored from third on a wild pitch to extend the Birds’ lead to 3-0.

Columbia grabbed their first run in the bottom half of the innings. Following two strikeouts by Saul Gonzalez to begin the inning, Gonzalez gave up a walk and two singles, with the RBI hit coming from Florentino, to plate the first run of the game for the home team.

The Fireflies made it a one-run game in the seventh. With Levi Usher on second following his walk and stolen base, David Hollie grounded out to third with Reginald Preciado throwing him out at first. First baseman Ballesteros tried to throw out Usher at third, but the throw went wild, allowing Usher to score to make it a 3-2 game.

Myrtle Beach added one run of insurance in the top of the ninth. Fabrizio lined a single to center to score Pedro Ramirez from second to bring the visitor’s lead to 4-2. Columbia was retired in order in the bottom of the ninth.

The Pelicans and Fireflies will meet for the fifth time this week on Saturday at 6:05 p.m.