Pelicans Walk Eight, Fireflies win 4-3

Three of the four Columbia runs came on RBI walks

By Sam Weiderhaft

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans matched their season-long losing streak with their third loss in a row by a final of 4-3 to the Columbia Fireflies on Saturday evening. With the loss, the Pelicans go in to Sunday down 3-2 in the series with a chance to drop their second straight series. Their record stands at 68-39 and 21-20 in the second half. Columbia improved to 39-67 and 21-19 in the second half.

For the first time this week, the Birds outhit the Fireflies with 11 knocks for the game. Kevin Alcantara (3-5, HR, 2B, RBI) hit a solo homer in the first and fell a triple shy of the cycle. Ezequiel Pagan (2-4, RBI) brought home a run on a single and Alejandro Rivero (1-3, HR, RBI, BB) hit a solo homer in the bottom of the eighth.

Saturday’s loss went to Johzan Oquendo (2-2) with one earned run in his 3 1/3 innings. Oquendo walked three and struck out three in his outing. Starting pitcher Koen Moreno got just one out in the first before allowing three earned runs off two hits while walking four in his short outing. Chase Watkins held it down out of the bullpen with 5 1/3 scoreless innings with five strikeouts.

Columbia was once again led by Carter Jensen (4-5, 2B, RBI) with his first four-hit game of the season. Guillermo Quintana (1-3, RBI, BB) also brought in a run with Erick Pena (0-2, RBI, 2 BB) walking twice in the victory. The Fireflies walked eight times while striking out nine times in the game.

Marlin Willis (3-1) earned the win with 2 1/3 scoreless innings with two hits allowed and a walk to two strikeouts. Ben Wereski picked up his second save of the year by holding the Birds at three runs for the final two innings. Starter Shane Panzini allowed all three earned runs in his 4 2/3 frames with seven hits allowed and a season-high-tying six strikeouts.

It was a tough first inning for Moreno as Jean Ramirez doubled to lead off the game. With one out and runners on first and second, Jensen singled to center to plate Ramirez for the first run. Omar Hernandez walked to load the bases, and Quintana and Pena both drew walks to bring in two more runs for a 3-0 lead.

Batting in the leadoff spot for the third game this season, Alcantara hit a solo home run to right field to start the bottom half of the first. It was his 13th of the season.

Another leadoff home run came from Rivero in the bottom of the third. His first home run of the season was a solo shot over the bleachers in left field to make it a 3-2 Fireflies lead.

The Pelicans tied it in the bottom of the fifth as Pagan came up with runners on the corners. He lined a ball off the mound that skimmed off the glove of Daniel Vazquez at short to plate Alcantara from third to tie the game 3-3.

Watkins held the Fireflies scoreless through the middle innings but they would grab the lead back in the top of the eighth. With two outs and a runner on second, Pena was intentionally walked and Yeudi Advincola was hit on the helmet with a pitch from Oquendo to load the bases. Lizandro Rodriguez worked a full count and walked to bring in the go-ahead run to put Columbia up 4-3.

Myrtle Beach put up a fight in the bottom of the ninth as Alcantara singled and Parker Chavers was hit by a pitch to place two runners on with two outs. Josue Huma lined out to left on a running catch from Jean Ramirez to end the game.

The Pelicans and Fireflies will close the series on Sunday evening at 6:35 p.m.