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CarL Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Bautista Brings Home Three, Pelicans Lose to Fireflies 6-4

June 24, 2021 - Carolina League (CarL)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release


One night removed from a combined no-hitter, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans dropped the third game of the series to the Columbia Fireflies 6-4 on Thursday night. With the loss, the three-game winning streak is snapped for the Pelicans as they drop to 20-24 this season. The Fireflies move to 23-18 with their first win of the series.

Flemin Bautista (2-4, HR, 3 RBI) led the way for the Pelicans with his first home run of the season and three runs driven in for the night. Jonathan Sierra (2-4) joined him with a multi-hit performance. Jordan Nwogu (1-4, RBI) brought home the other run for the Birds.

Didier Vargas threw his longest outing of the season after starting the game and going four innings with three earned runs off three hits. Vargas allowed two home runs to the Fireflies as well. Jose Miguel Gonzalez (2-1) took his first loss of the year with three innings in relief and two runs allowed off three hits.

Despite being outhit 8-6, the Fireflies still powered two home runs courtesy of Kale Emshoff (1-2, HR, 2 RBI) and Gage Hughes (1-2, HR, 2 RBI). Darryl Collins (1-4, RBI) also drove in a run for the Fireflies in the winning effort.

Columbia brought out three pitchers for the game with each going three innings. Luis De Avila (4-0) remained undefeated with his fourth win after throwing three frames with one earned run off three hits. Walter Pennington earned his third save of the season by tossing the final three innings with two hits allowed and one run. The Fireflies' pitching staff combined for 14 strikeouts with starter Ben Hernandez leading the group with six through his three innings.

The Fireflies scored for the first time since the seventh inning of Tuesday's game with a pair of runs in the second inning to take the lead first. Juan Carlos Negret walked to lead off the inning and Emshoff followed with a home run to right field to take a 2-0 lead.

The Pelicans responded with two runs of their own in the top half of the third. After the first two batters struck out, Jacob Wetzel drew a walk to get on base. Bautista hit him home with his first home run of the season on a ball that hugged the right-field line and just stayed fair. It was a 2-2 game after the Birds' half of the third.

The lead changed back in favor of the Fireflies in the bottom of the inning. Hughes led off the inning by taking a 3-1 pitch from Vargas over the right-field wall for a solo home run, his first of the season to give the home team a 3-2 lead.

The scoring continued with the Pelicans grabbing one back in the top of the fourth. Ryan Reynolds led off with a bunt single back up the middle and beat the wild throw from De Avila. Ethan Hearn drew a five-pitch walk in the next at-bat, and Nwogu hit a line drive to left field to bring Reynolds home and tie the game 3-3.

The home team would take control in the top of the fifth inning with two runs coming home. Gonzalez came into the game out of the bullpen and walked Maikel Garcia on a 3-2 count with one out. Diego Hernandez followed with a single to left field to put runners at the corners, and Collins dribbled a ball to right field for an RBI single that brought home Garcia. With runners still at the corners, Gonzalez threw a pitch that sailed over the head of the catcher Hearn and Gonzalez came home to score to give Columbia a 5-3 lead.

Both teams would go quietly in the sixth, and the Pelicans put one more on the scoreboard in their half of the seventh. Pennington came on in relief and gave up a single to Yeison Santana to start off the inning. Wetzel came up next and laid down a bunt to advance Santana to third on a throwing error by Hughes at third. Bautista brought home his third run of the game with a line-drive single to left field to make it a one-run game at 5-4.

Columbia tacked on one more run in the bottom of the eight for insurance. Jose Moreno came in to pitch for the Birds for the first time this season and walked three of the first four batters he faced to load the bases. Hughes grounded a ball to second base for a force-out and Emshoff scored to increase the lead to 6-4.

The Pelicans were retired by Pennington in order in the top of the ninth to end the game.

Myrtle Beach and Columbia will play game four on Friday night with first pitch set for 7:05 p.m.

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