Pelicans Fall to RiverDogs 2-1 in Game One of Playoffs

By Sam Weiderhaft

In a game that stayed tight all the way through, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans dropped the first game of the Carolina League South Division Championship to the Charleston RiverDogs 2-1 on Tuesday night. With the RiverDogs up 1-0, the Pelicans face a must-win situation as the best-of-three series heads to Myrtle Beach on Thursday.

In front of a sellout crowd in Charleston, the Birds’ bats fell flat with just one run off five hits. The lone run came from Brett Bateman (1-3, RBI, BB) with an RBI single in the fifth. Pedro Ramirez (2-3, BB) smacked two singles and walked. Every hit for the Birds was a single as they left eight on base.

Starter Jackson Ferris (0-1) took the loss after allowing two earned runs through 4 2/3 innings with five hits and three walks given up with three strikeouts. The bullpen didn’t allow a single run with Koen Moreno going 2 1/3 innings and Angel Hernandez pitching the bottom of the eighth to hold the RiverDogs to just the two runs.

Despite collecting eight hits, the RiverDogs were held to just two runs, both coming home in the first two innings. Cooper Kinney (1-3, RBI) knocked in a run with a single and Christopher Barete (1-2, 2B, RBI, BB) hit an RBI double in the second. The RiverDogs left eight on base in the win.

Gerlin Rosario (1-0) took the win with three shutout innings and just one hit allowed while striking out two. Starter Trevor Martin struck out seven through 4 1/3 innings with one earned run. The RiverDogs struck out 10 in the victory.

The RiverDogs got off to a hot start with runs in the first two innings. After a leadoff triple by Brayden Taylor, Kinney lined a single to short that knocked off the glove of Jefferson Rojas to bring the run home. The inning ended with a flyout and a double play.

With a runner at first and two outs in the bottom of the second, Barete lined a double to right that scored the run and pushed Charleston’s lead to 2-0.

The Pelicans had many chances to bring runs home, including loading the bases with nobody out in the fourth. Martin struck out two and got a groundout to end the inning unharmed.

Bateman came up with runners on second and third and one out in the top of the fifth. He lined a single to center that brought in Ismael Mena to put the Pelicans on the board. The inning ended with a pick-off at first and a force-out as the Pelicans left runners on base.

The Pelicans put the tying run on base in the top of the ninth with one out and Andy Garriola coming up. Garriola hit a sharp ground ball to short as the RiverDogs turned two to end the game.

Thursday’s game is set for 7:05 p.m. as the Pelicans try and keep their season alive.