Pelicans Fall in Saturday Night Contest to Shorebirds 2-1

Myrtle Beach went 1-for-13 with runners in scoring position

By Sam Weiderhaft

After rain washed away the chances of completing Friday night’s game, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans and the Delmarva Shorebirds settled on a regular 9-inning affair which resulted in a 2-1 Delmarva victory. Saturday’s loss brought the Pelicans to a 35-14 record while the Shorebirds snapped their eight-game losing streak to the Pelicans and improved to 17-32. The Pelicans wore special green uniforms for Mental Health Awareness Night presented by Lighthouse Behavioral Health Hospital.

The hitting fell flat for the Pelicans as the team left 13 runners on base, including two innings where the bases were left loaded. Kevin Made (2-5, 2B, RBI) brought home the only run on a double in the fifth inning. BJ Murray (2-3, 2 BB) reached base four times on a pair of singles and walks.

Four pitchers were used by the Pelicans with Luis Rodriguez (4-1) taking the loss after allowing the go-ahead run in the eighth. Porter Hodge started and went four innings with one unearned run off three hits and three walks with five strikeouts.

Delmarva’s clutch hit came from Luis Valdez (3-5, 2B, RBI, R) on an RBI double in the eighth inning to break a 1-1 tie. Trendon Craig (2-5) posted a multi-hit game with two singles. The Shorebirds left 14 runners on base and went 1-for-13 with runners in scoring position.

Hugo Beltran (3-1) earned the win with 3 1/3 scoreless innings with just one hit and a walk allowed and three strikeouts. Dan Hammer sacrificed an earned run in his five innings with five strikeouts.

The Shorebirds scored first to grab an early lead. Valdez singled on the third pitch of the game and stole second in the next at-bat. He moved to third on a groundout by Elio Prado and came home on a fielder’s choice by Noelberth Romero. Romero hit a grounder to Made at short but the throw home skipped low for a throwing error as Valdez scored.

After leaving the bases loaded in the fourth, the Pelicans scored their only run in the fifth. Felix Stevens led off with a double that bounced off the left-field wall. After the following two batters were retired, Made smacked a double into the left-center field alley to score Stevens and tie the game 1-1.

The Pelicans again loaded the bases in the sixth off two walks and a hit by pitch. With two outs, Juan Mora went down swinging on a strikeout from Moises Chace to end the inning.

The go-ahead run for Delmarva came in the top of the eighth. With two outs, Moises Ramirez doubled off the center-field wall. Three pitches later, Valdez lined a double off the left-field wall to score Ramirez and put the Shorebirds up 2-1.

Myrtle Beach threatened in the ninth after Mora walked and Made singled to put the winning run aboard. James Triantos struck out, Kevin Alcantara grounded to shortstop for a force-out at second, and Murray struck out swinging to end the game.

Friday’s game will be completed on Sunday at 4:05 p.m., with Delmarva holding a 5-1 lead. It will be followed by a 7-inning game to close out the series.