RiverDogs Edge Pelicans 5-4 in Series Opener

The Birds have lost three in a row for just the second time this season

By Sam Weiderhaft

The battle of the top two winningest teams in Minor League Baseball ended with a 5-4 Charleston RiverDogs victory over the Myrtle Beach Pelicans in Tuesday’s series opener. With the loss, the Pelicans dropped to a 48-22 overall record, and 1-3 in the second half. The RiverDogs moved up to an identical regular-season record, and 2-2 in the second half.

Plenty of chances were stranded for the Pelicans as they left runners on second and third in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings. Felix Stevens (2-4, HR, 2B, 2 RBI) led the charge with a solo home run and RBI double in the game. Ezequiel Pagan (2-3, 2 RBI, BB) brought home two on a single in the first inning.

Tuesday’s loss went to Frankie Scalzo (2-3) after allowing three earned runs through 2 1/3 innings off six hits and a walk with three strikeouts. Starter Porter Hodge allowed two earned runs in the first put powered through for a four-inning outing with three hits and three walks allowed and five strikeouts.

Charleston used 10 hits in the victory with Willy Vasquez (2-4, 2 RBI) bringing in two on a single in the opening frame. Carson Williams (1-5, 3B, RBI, R) added an RBI triple in the seventh to give the RiverDogs the lead.

Over Galue (7-0) remained undefeated with an impressive outing of 3 1/3 innings with one earned run off three hits and three walks with another three strikeouts. Jack Snyder closed the game and earned his fifth save with two hits allowed in his 1 2/3 scoreless innings.

Both teams scored a pair in the opening frame with Charleston going on top first. After the first two batters were retired, Hodge walked the following two and threw a wild pitch to put runners on second and third. Vasquez lined a single to right to plate both runs and give the RiverDogs an early 2-0 lead.

The Pelicans responded with two runs as Ezequiel Pagan came up with two outs and runners on first and third. He lined a single to right to score Kevin Made and took the turn around first base. Pagan would be caught in a run down in between first and second base, as Kevin Alcantara came in to score the second run before Pagan was tagged to end the inning.

Stevens would give the Pelicans their first lead with a solo shot to right field in the bottom of the second with one out. It was his seventh homer of the season.

The game would stay in favor of the Pelicans until the top of the sixth. With two outs and runners on first and second, Nathan Perry grounded a single up the middle to score the game-tying run to even the score 3-3.

Charleston packed it on in the top of the seventh. Williams tripled on a fly ball off the wall in right-center to score a run with nobody out. Nick Schnell followed with a single to right to plate Williams and extend the RiverDogs’ lead to 5-3.

The Pelicans came up with a late rally in the eighth as Stevens lined a double to center field that scored a run and put runners on second and third with one out. That rally was cut short as Ethan Hearn lined a 1-2 pitch to second base that was caught by Ryan Spikes. Jacob Wetzel was heading for home on contact and was off the bag by the time Spike’s throw went to third for a double play.

Josue Huma started the bottom of the ninth with a single but the following two were retired on a forceout and a double play to end the game.

Myrtle Beach and Charleston will meet for game two of the series on Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m.