The Final Swim ends in 6-2 Mermen Victory

Myrtle Beach used the “Mermen” identity for the final time

By Sam Weiderhaft

With the biggest offensive explosion of the week, the Myrtle Beach Mermen downed the Fredericksburg Nationals 6-2 on Saturday night. It was the final night that the Pelicans played as the “Mermen”, paying tribute to the 2012 show “Eastbound and Down” that was filmed at Pelicans Ballpark. With the win, the Mermen improved to 44-18 with a magic number of three to clinch the Carolina League South first-half championship. Fredericksburg dropped to 31-31 following the loss.

Myrtle Beach tallied their most hits and runs of the week as Kevin Alcantara (3-4, HR, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R) powered the lineup by falling a triple shy of the cycle. Juan Mora (3-5, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R) hit an inside-the-park home run in the eighth to pair with two singles. Ezequiel Pagan (1-3, 3B, 2 RBI) also brought in two runs on a triple.

Saturday’s win went to Jose Miguel Gonzalez (6-0) with 2 2/3 innings in relief. Gonzalez struck out four and walked three with one hit and one unearned run in his outing. Adam Laskey earned his fourth save of the year with 1 1/3 shutout innings and two strikeouts.

The Nationals tallied six hits with the lone RBI coming from Jeremy De La Rosa (1-3, RBI, BB) in the third inning. Jake Sullivan (2-4) tallied the only multi-hit game of the evening for the Nationals.

The loss went to Todd Peterson (0-2) who sacrificed the deciding two-run home run from Alcantara in the seventh. Starting pitcher Bryan Caceres suffered two earned runs through his five innings off seven hits and two walks while striking out three.

For just the second time this week, the Nationals took an early lead with a run in the third inning. With runners on first and second and two outs, De La Rosa hit an infield single into the hole at shortstop to score T.J. White.

The Mermen answered back in the fifth to take the lead. With two outs and two runners in scoring position, Pagan lined a triple to the wall in left field to plate two runners and give the Mermen a 2-1 lead.

Fredericksburg tied the contest in the top of the seventh. White doubled to lead off the frame and took off for third on a groundout to James Triantos at third base by Jacob r third on a groundout to James Triantos at third base by Jacob Young. After the throw to first, first baseman Felix Stevens rifled a throw to third that went wild to the wall as White came in to score.

It was a quick response for the Mermen as Alcantara decided the game on a two-run homer to left-center field with one out in the bottom of the seventh. It was hit 10th home run of the season.

Myrtle Beach tacked on two more on the rare inside-the-park home run from Mora in the bottom of the eighth. With two outs and Josue Huma on first, Mora flew a ball the opposite way to right field that bound off the wall. And the center fielder De La Rosa fielded it and threw the ball in, Mora slid across home for his fourth homer of the season to make it 6-2 Mermen.

With the victory, Myrtle Beach clinches their ninth series victory of the season. The Pelicans and Nationals will meet for the series finale on Sunday evening at 6:05 p.m.