Sports
Pelicans Bats Come Alive in RiverDogs 14-4 Loss
By: RiverDogs Media
After a 30-minute rain delay to start the night, the Charleston RiverDogs were defeated 14-4 by the Myrtle Beach Pelicans on Saturday in front of a crowd 3,223 at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park. The RiverDogs pitching staff surrendered 15 hits, which was a season high in a game this season.
The Pelicans (13-10, 60-29) got on the board first in the top of the second inning, scoring three runs and sending eight men to the plate. RHP Ben Peoples allowed three straight hits to start the inning, including an RBI single from Jacob Wetzel to make it 1-0. A few pitches later, Ezequiel Pagan scored on a wild pitch. Two batters later, Scott McKeon knocked in a run with an RBI single to make it 3-0.
The RiverDogs (11-11, 57-31) answered in the bottom of the third inning with a solo home run from Logan Allen to make it 3-1.
The Pelicans came right back with three runs of their own in the top of the fourth inning. Josue Huma and Alejandro Rivero each reached to start the inning with back-to-back singles. Then, James Triantos hit a sacrifice fly to make it 4-1. Back-to-back RBI singles from Kevin Alacantara and Pagan made it 6-1 in favor of the Pelicans.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, the RiverDogs cut the lead to 7-3 with three straight hits. Allen got the rally started with a one-out double and scored on an RBI single from Jelfry Marte. After an Angel Galarraga base hit got Marte to third, Shane Sasaki hit a sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to four.
The Pelicans immediately answered with two runs in the sixth and one in the seventh. In the sixth inning, Pagan hit a double, and Wetzel hit a two-run home run off of LHP Alex Ayala Jr. to make it 9-3. In the seventh, two walks and a hit-by-pitch led to the 10th run of the game being scored by the Pelicans, as Triantos knocked in Huma to make it 10-3.
The RiverDogs cut the deficit to six runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. Sasaki led off the inning with a single. A few batters later, Ryan Spikes knocked him in with an RBI single to make it 10-4.
The Pelicans were not done yet, as they closed out the night by scoring four runs in the top of the ninth inning off of RHP Juan Rivera. Two walks, an error, and Wetzel’s second home run of the game closed out the Pelicans a 14-4 win.
RHP Ben Peoples (3-4) took the loss in this game for the RiverDogs, going 1.2 innings and giving up three runs on five hits while striking out two. Richard Gallardo (6-6) picked up the win for the Pelicans. He went 5.0 innings and gave up three runs on four hits, walked one and struck out five.
Ballpark Fun
The RiverDogs invited all of the fans in attendance to participate in a post-game UFO launch on UFO night. Following the game, hundreds of light-up UFOs were sent airborne in unison beneath the night sky at The Joe, resulting in a unique visual. Many of the night’s promotions focused on extraterrestrial activities and peanuts as the RiverDogs also took the field as their alternate identity, the Charleston Boiled Peanuts, in partnership with Luray Peanut Company.
The rubber game of this series will be tomorrow at 5:05 p.m. as the RiverDogs look to take the series. They will send RHP Daiveyon Whittle (0-4, 4.25) to the mound to take on RHP Tyler Santana (7-0, 2.38) for the Pelicans.
Tomorrow will be another MUSC Health Family Sunday. After the game, kids will be able to run the bases. It will also be a Plant Propagation Party, as fans will receive a pot, soil and a house plant clipping to take home with them with the opportunity to watch their plant grow.
Single-game tickets are available for all RiverDogs home games at riverdogs.com. RiverDogs season tickets, flexible ticket plans, and group tickets, including options to the Segra Club at Riley Park, are available at riverdogs.com/tickets or by contacting the RiverDogs front office at 843-577-3647 (DOGS).