Regular Season Ends on Ramirez’s Walk-Off Double, Pelicans Beat Fireflies 7-6

By Sam Weiderhaft

In their final game of the 2023 regular season, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans walked-off winners 7-6 over the Columbia Fireflies off an RBI double by Pedro Ramirez in the bottom of the ninth. The Birds finished with a 75-55 overall record and 36-29 in the second half. The Pelicans finished with the highest winning percentage in the Carolina League at .577. Columbia posted a 66-65 record and 31-35 in the second half.

Down by as many as four runs, the Pelicans scored five unanswered runs after the fifth inning. Jonathon Long (1-4, HR, 2 RBI) tied the game with a two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh. Brian Kalmer (3-4, 2 RBI) logged three singles and brought home two runs on a single in the third. Ramirez (1-4, 2B, RBI, BB) collected his third walk-off hit of the season with a double to left-center field to score Jefferson Rojas (3-5) from second base following his single and error.

Starlyn Pichardo (7-1) struck out two in the top of the ninth and ended up with the win. The Birds received a great outing from Grayson Moore, who retired all six batters he faced and added two strikeouts in relief.

The Fireflies posted 11 hits with Brett Squires (3-5, HR, 2 RBI) leading the team with three hits including a two-run homer in the first inning. Leadoff hitter Spencer Nivens (2-5, RBI) smacked two singles and Emmanuel Pire (2-3, BB) reached base three times and scored two runs.

The loss went to Nicholas Regalado (1-1) who pitched a clean eighth inning but gave up the single to Rojas and double to Ramirez in the ninth. Starter Mauricio Veliz allowed four earned runs through 5 1/3 innings off five hits and two walks and struck out one.

The Pelicans now look toward the playoffs against the Charleston RiverDogs in the Carolina League South Division Championship Series. Game one is set for 7:05 p.m. on Tuesday night in Charleston.