Ninth Inning Lead Slips Away, Pelicans Lose to Hillcats 8-5

After taking a two-run lead to the final frame, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans sacrificed five runs in the top of the ninth to lose their fourth game in a row 8-5 to the Lynchburg Hillcats. With the loss, the Pelicans dropped to 14-14 while the Hillcats improved to 16-14.

Angel Gonzalez (1-1) blew the save and took the loss after allowing six runs, all earned in his 2 1/3 innings off four hits and three walks. Gonzalez was credited with four of the five runs coming home in the ninth. Starting pitcher Marino Santy struck out five through his three innings with one unearned run.

The bats woke up for Myrtle Beach with 10 hits, including a home run from Jefferson Encarnacion (2-4, HR, RBI). Juan Mora (3-4, 2B, RBI) posted a three-hit performance with a run driven in. Five of the nine hitters brought home a run in the defeat.

The Hillcats ended up out-hitting the Pelicans 11-10 with Guy Lipscomb (3-5, 2 RBI) leading the way with three singles and two runs driven in. Robert Lopez (1-5, 2B, 2 RBI) smacked the only extra-base hit for the Hillcats this series with a two-run double in the ninth. Maick Collado (1-4, 2 RBI) provided the go-ahead RBI single in the top of the ninth.

Starter Yorman Gomez stretched five innings with four earned runs off seven hits and two walks with four strikeouts. The win went to reliever Miguel Vinicio (1-2) after striking out three of the four batters faced. Magnus Ellerts grabbed his first save of the year with a scoreless ninth and one strikeout.

Both teams traded runs in the second inning with Lynchburg taking the lead first. With two outs and a runner on second, Lexer Saduy grounded a ball to Pedro Ramirez at shortstop. Ramirez’s throw to first bounced below the glove of Miguel Fabrizio at first as the run came home.

It was a quick response from Myrtle Beach with a two-run bottom half. With one out, Encarnacion flew a solo home run over the right-field wall for his second of the year to tie the game 1-1. Later in the inning, Ramirez hit an RBI single to right-center to score Mora from second base to give the Pelicans their first lead of the week 2-1.

The Pelicans added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth. With a runner on first, Mora drove an RBI double to right-center field and advanced to third on a fielding error. He came home one pitch later as Fabrizio grounded a single to center for a 4-1 Myrtle Beach advantage.

After a quiet two innings, the Hillcats inched closer with a two-run seventh. After Gonzalez walked the first two batters and advanced them on a wild pitch, Lipscomb grounded out to second as a run scored. Collado followed with a fly ball to left that was dropped by Andy Garriola to score the run from third and make it a one-run game.

With a 4-3 lead, the Pelicans added one more in their half of the seventh. Garriola came up with runners on second and third and lifted a sacrifice fly to left that was caught by Saduy on the run to score the runner from third and push the lead to two.

The wheels came off for Gonzalez and the Pelicans in the top of the ninth. Gonzalez walked the first batter and gave up a single before striking out the third batter he faced in the inning for the first out. After a wild pitch that moved the runners to second and third, Lipscomb lined a single up the middle to score the first run and move the tying run to third. Gonzalez threw another wild pitch as Nate Furman came home from third to tie the game at five. With Lipscomb on third, Collado smoked a line drive up the middle to plate the go-ahead run and give Lynchburg their first lead since the second. The Pelicans sent a position player to the mound in Felix Stevens to grab the final two outs. Lopez later doubled to right field with two runners on to add to the lead as the Hillcats took an 8-5 lead to the ninth.

Myrtle Beach was retired in order in the bottom half.

The Pelicans will try and snap their four-game losing skid on Friday night at 7:05 p.m. against the Hillcats.