Pelicans Snap Losing Streak in Dramatic Fashion with 3-2 Win over Cannon Ballers

By Sam Weiderhaft

After dropping six straight games, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans came through for a 3-2 win over the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers on Thursday night. The win improved the Pelicans’ record to 3-9 while the Cannon Ballers slip to 6-6. Reginald Preciado threw out the tying run at home to end the game.

After a wild night on the mound Wednesday, the Pelicans’ pitching staff locked in with 14 strikeouts as reliever Jeral Vizcaino (1-0) picked up the win with three shutout innings and four K’s. Shane Marshall got the save by holding the Cannon Ballers in the final inning. Starter Ty Johnson lasted just under three innings with no runs allowed and four strikeouts. Luis Rujano followed with two earned runs in his 2 1/3 innings off two hits and one walk while striking out five.

Christopher Paciolla (1-4, 2B, RBI) came through in the eighth for the go-ahead RBI on a double. Frank Hernandez (2-4, RBI) also knocked in a run with a single in the second. The Pelicans collected nine hits in the victory.

By allowing the go-ahead run in the eighth, Kannapolis reliever Nick Altermatt (1-1) took the loss on Thursday night. Starter Aldrin Batista lasted five innings with two runs, one earned off six hits while not walking anybody. Garrett Wright followed with two shutout frames and three punchouts.

The Cannon Ballers were quiet at the plate with just two runs and the lone RBI coming from Edrick Felix (1-4, RBI) on a single in the fourth.

The Pelicans struck first for two runs in the second. With runners on the corners, Batista tried to pick off the runner at first but threw it wild as Andy Garriola scored from third. Hernandez later hit the runner in on a single to right field.

Kannapolis answered by scoring two runs in the top of the fourth. With runners on the corners, Rujano threw a wild pitch to plate the first run. Felix later came through for an RBI single to tie the game.

Both teams were quiet through the middle innings with the Pelicans grabbing their lead back in the eighth. With Preciado stealing from first on the pitch, Paciolla lined a double down the third base line to plate Preciado for the go-ahead run.

With two outs and two on in the bottom of the ninth, Ryan Galanie looped a single to shallow right field. Coming home from second, Wilber Sanchez was thrown out at home plate by Preciado in left to end the game.

Both teams will meet for the fourth game of the series on Friday night at 7:05 p.m.