Hearn’s Walk-Off Single Gives Pelicans 3-2 Win over GreenJackets

By Sam Weiderhaft

It was Myrtle Beach’s second walk-off hit of the week

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans overcame a 2-0 deficit to take down the Augusta GreenJackets on Thursday night by the final of 3-2. Ethan Hearn’s RBI single with the bases loaded in the ninth inning moved Myrtle Beach to 3-3 on the season with their second walk-off hit of the series. Augusta fell to 3-3 with all three of their losses coming on walk-offs.

The Pelicans collected just four hits for the night with Pete Crow-Armstrong (2-4, 2B, R) posting the only multi-hit performance and scoring the winning run. Hearn (1-4, RBI) and Liam Spence (1-3, 2B, 2 RBI) accounted for the other hits.

It was another solid night on the mound for the Birds with Adam Laskey (2-0) picking up his second win of the season with two scoreless innings in relief. Tyler Schlaffer started the contest and struck out five through four innings despite giving up a home run to the first batter.

At the plate, the GreenJackets were led by Caleb Durbin (1-3, HR, 2 RBI) with a solo home run and a sacrifice fly. Augusta collected six hits but left seven runners on base and went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position.

For the visitors, the star of the night was Royber Salinas. The GreenJackets pitcher struck out 13 through five scoreless frames and just one hit allowed. He faced the minimum 15 batters and retired nine consecutive batters by way of the strikeout to end his outing. Rob Griswold (0-1) took the loss with one earned run through his 1 1/3 innings with two walks and a pair of strikeouts.

Ya’ll mind if we walk off winners again?

Ethan Hearn with the single to end it.#MBPelicans pic.twitter.com/7Dgw63QJ8p

— Myrtle Beach Pelicans (@Pelicanbaseball) April 15, 2022

It didn’t take long for the GreenJackets to jump in front as Durbin homered on the second pitch of the game to left field to get things started. Schlaffer gave up a home run in the first inning for the second-straight start.

Augusta added one more in the top of the fifth as Braulio Vasquez led off with an infield single to third. He stole second and moved to third on a groundout by Connor Blair. Vasquez came home on Durbin’s sacrifice fly to right field to extend Augusta’s lead to 2-0.

After being struck out nine-straight times, the Pelicans got a fresh start with Peyton Williams coming out of the bullpen for the GreenJackets in the bottom of the sixth. With one out, Williams hit Ezequiel Pagan and walked Yeison Santana to put two runners on. Spence came up after a flyout by Crow-Armstrong and lined a double into the left-field corner to clear the bases and tie the game at two.

Crow-Armstrong led off the Pelicans' half of the ninth with a single up the middle. Spence bunted the potential winning run to second as the first out. Kevin Alcantara was intentionally walked and Miguel Fabrizio worked a walk on Griswold to load the bases. Ben Thompson came out of the bullpen and struck out Reginald Preciado on three pitches for the second out. Hearn followed by grounding a 1-1 pitch up the middle just passed the glove of Geraldo Quintero at second to score Crow-Armstrong and give Myrtle Beach the victory.

The Pelicans now have a 2-1 lead in the home-opening series and will face Augusta on Friday night at 7:05 p.m. for game four.