Hitting Falls Flat, Pelicans Drop Second Game to Hillcats 5-1

After not getting a baserunner until the seventh, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans fell in the second game of the series to the Lynchburg Hillcats 5-1 on Wednesday night. The loss brings the Birds back to .500 at 14-14 while the Hillcats moved up to 15-14.

It took until the seventh before the Birds got their first hit with Reivaj Garcia (2-4) accounting for two of the three total hits. Andy Garriola (1-4, 2B) smacked a double in the final frame. The Pelicans drew just one walk.

Starting pitcher Michael Arias (0-3) took the loss after allowing just one earned run in his three innings with three hits and two walks allowed and five strikeouts. Each pitcher gave up at least one run with Branden Noriega allowing two earned with three walks and one hit allowed in his 2/3 innings pitched.

The star of the night was Lynchburg starter Parker Messick (2-0) as he took a perfect game through six innings. Messick pitched seven shutout innings with just one hit allowed and seven strikeouts while not walking a single batter. Tomas Reyes gave up the only run, which was unearned.

For the second night in a row, the Hillcats did not record an extra-base hit with six singles on Wednesday night. Jose Devers (1-5, 2 RBI) brought in two runs and Guy Lipscomb (2-4) recorded a multi-hit game. The Hillcats drew nine walks while also being hit by nine pitches.

Following a scoreless first three innings, the Hillcats struck first in the top of the fourth. With Devers on third and Lipscomb on second, Lipscomb broke to steal second base as catcher Miguel Pabon threw down. As he threw, Devers came home to score on the double steal for the game’s first run.

Noriega came out of the bullpen in the fifth and immediately loaded the bases by hitting a batter and walking two. Devers came up and grounded to Cristian Hernandez at short who threw to third for a force out as Marc Filia scored to put the Hillcats up 2-0. Zarate later singled on a blooper to shallow left to plate another run.

Another insurance run scored in the top of the seventh for the visitors. Furman was hit by a pitch from Jose Romero, stole second, and moved to third on a wild pitch. He later scored on another wild pitch to increase the lead to 4-0.

The Pelicans broke up the perfect game in the bottom of the seventh as Garcia grounded the second pitch of the inning to right field off Messick. The following three batters were retired with Garcia left on second.

Both teams scored a run in their half of the eighth. With the bases loaded, Devers grounded to short as the Pelicans got the out at second but allowed the run to score from third for a 5-0 lead.

Myrtle Beach avoided the shutout in the bottom half as Reyes came out of the bullpen. With runners on the corners, Pedro Ramirez grounded out to first to score Parker Chavers from third to make it a 5-1 game.

Game three of the series is slated for 7:05 p.m. on Thursday night.