Ramirez Hits Two Homers, Pelicans Lose to Cannon Ballers 10-8
By Sam Weiderhaft It was the fourth time this week that the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers had a lead in the ninth inning. This time, they kept it as the Myrtle Beach Pelicans dropped Friday’s contest 10-8 in the fourth game of the week. The loss dropped the Birds to a
By Sam Weiderhaft
It was the fourth time this week that the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers had a lead in the ninth inning. This time, they kept it as the Myrtle Beach Pelicans dropped Friday’s contest 10-8 in the fourth game of the week. The loss dropped the Birds to a 68-49 record and 29-23 in the second half while the Cannon Ballers improved to 60-57 and 25-27 in the second half. Friday was also “Dino Night” presented by Ed’s Dinosaurs Live, as the Pelicans debuted their “Pelisaurus Rex” jerseys.
It was an eventful night for the Pelicans’ lineup as Pedro Ramirez (3-4, 2 HR, 4 RBI) smacked a pair of two-run home runs from the right and left side of the plate. Brett Bateman (3-5, 2 RBI) recorded three singles with two being RBI hits. Cristian Hernandez (3-5, 2B, RBI) posted a three-hit game with a double as the Birds outhit the Cannon Ballers 13-12.
Friday’s loss went to starter Kevin Valdez (2-2) after allowing five earned runs through 2 2/3 innings with five hits and two walks while striking out five. Angel Hernandez struck out six but suffered two earned runs in his 3 1/3 innings and Starlyn Pichardo sacrificed three earned runs in his 1 2/3 innings of work. The Pelicans walked eight batters in the loss.
It was a collective effort for the Cannon Ballers as six different players recorded at least one RBI. Ryan Galanie (2-4, HR, RBI, BB) provided the power with his first professional home run in the third inning. Jordan Sprinkle (2-5, 2 RBI) and Calvin Harris (1-3, 2 RBI, 2 BB) each brought home a pair of runs to lead the team. Kannapolis went 7-for-15 with runners in scoring position.
With one shutout inning, Connor Pellerin (1-2) earned the win with two strikeouts. Billy Seidl logged his league-leading 14th save with a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the ninth. Ethan Hammerberg gave up a majority of the runs with four earned runs across two innings off five hits and a walk.
Both teams opened up the game by scoring in the first inning. With a runner on second and two outs, Chris Lanzilli grounded a single up the middle to put the Cannon Ballers up early 1-0.
The Birds responded as Hernandez singled, stole second and moved to third on a throwing error. Bateman brought him in on a single to center to even the game.
The Cannon Ballers scored in the next to innings to take an early advantage. With the bases loaded, Valdez committed a balk to score Galanie from third. Rikuu Nishida followed with a bloop-single to center to make it a 3-1 Kannapolis lead. Jacob Gonzalez finished with a sacrifice fly to cap off the three-run inning.
Galanie was the second batter in the top of the third and launched a solo homer to left field for his first one of the year to put the visitors up by four.
Ramirez’s first homer came in the bottom of the fourth as he hit a two-run shot to left from the right side of the plate to bring the Pelicans within two.
Myrtle Beach brought it within one on an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth by Brian Kalmer to center that scored Hernandez from third.
Three walks started the top of the seventh as Pichardo came in and gave up a single to Sprinkle to score a run. Galanie followed by grounding into a double play as another run came across to make it 7-4 Kannapolis.
Bateman collected his second RBI hit on a single in the bottom of the seventh that scored Hernandez to bring the Birds within two.
After the first two batters were retired in the top of the eighth, the Cannon Ballers pulled away for a three-run inning. With runners on second and third, Harris lined a single to center to score two runs. Sprinkle would later hit a single for the third run of the inning to extend the Cannon Ballers’ lead to 10-5.
Continuing their fighting spirit of the week, the Pelicans battled back with three runs in the eighth. Following a single, Ramirez hit an opposite-field home run from left side for his second of the contest and sixth of the season. With two outs and a runner on second, Hernandez drove a hit to the gap in left-center that scored the run. Hernandez was tagged out trying to reach third on the play as the Pelicans trailed 10-8.
Myrtle Beach and Kannapolis will meet again on Saturday night at 6:05 p.m.