Late Lead Fades, Pelicans Drop Sunday Game to RiverDogs 6-5

By Sam Weiderhaft

Heading into the ninth inning with a one-run lead, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans sacrificed two late runs to fall in the fifth game of the series 6-5 to the Charleston RiverDogs. Myrtle Beach still holds the series lead 3-2 while their record drops to 43-30 and 4-4 in the second half. The RiverDogs improved to 31-43 and 4-4 in the second half.

After holding the RiverDogs to two runs through seven innings, Yovanny Cabrera (3-3) took the loss after sacrificing four earned runs through the eighth and ninth innings off four hits and two walks. Starter Jackson Ferris tossed a career-high 3 2/3 innings with a pair of earned runs and four strikeouts. Previously, the Pelicans were 28-2 when leading after eight innings.

Reivaj Garcia (2-4, 3B, 2B, RBI) blasted two extra-base hits with an RBI and two runs scored in the loss. Juan Mora (1-3, 3B, RBI) also hit a triple for Myrtle Beach, making it the first time this season that the Pelicans have hit multiple triples in one game.

With a long relief outing, Jonny Cuevas (3-6) earned the win with just one earned run in his 4 1/3 innings with just two hits allowed and four strikeouts. Drew Sommers came out for the ninth inning and walked one but struck out two to take his fifth save of the year.

Extra-base hits came in clutch moments for the RiverDogs as Odalys Peguero (1-3, 3B, 2 RBI, BB) led the team with two runs driven in. Chandler Simpson (1-3, 2B, RBI, 2 BB) hit a game-tying double in the top of the ninth. Cooper Kinney (2-4, RBI, BB) brought home the game-winning run with a single.

After two scoreless innings, the Pelicans grabbed an early lead with a four-run third. With runners on second and third, RiverDogs’ starter Jake Christianson threw a wild pitch that scored Pedro Ramirez from third. Garcia later came up with runners on the corners and smacked a double to center that scored the second run and put runners on second and third. With just one out in the inning, Andy Garriola rolled an RBI single to left for a 3-0 lead. The inning capped off with Mora’s sacrifice fly to center field to give the Birds a comfortable lead.

Charleston answered right back with two runs in the top of the fourth. With two outs and a runner at second, Peguero hit a triple to the center field wall to score the first run. Peguero scored later on a wild pitch to make it a two-run Pelicans’ lead.

The Pelicans added an insurance run in their half of the fifth. Following a Garcia triple, Jefferson Rojas lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to extend the lead to 5-2.

That lead carried to the eighth when the RiverDogs began their comeback. After Cabrera walked the first batter and then gave up a double, he threw a wild pitch as Kinney came in to score. With a runner at third, Peguero grounded out to shortstop to score Jhon Diaz from third to make it a one-run game.

Charleston kept it going by taking the lead in the ninth. With one out and a runner on first, Simpson lined a double to the gap in right-center as Oneill Manzueta scored from first to tie the game at five. A Cabrera wild pitch put Simpson on third and he came home on Kinney’s single to right to give the RiverDogs their first lead of the game at 6-5.

The Pelicans made it interesting as David Avitia walked with two outs in the ninth to put the tying run on base. Ismael Mena flew out to right to end the game.

The series concludes on Monday night as the Pelicans take on the RiverDogs at 7:05 p.m. for the last night of Red, White, and Blue Weekend.