CarL Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Birds Drop Opener to Nationals 6-4

June 13, 2023 - Carolina League (CarL)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release


After taking an early lead, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans fell in the opening game 6-4 to the Fredericksburg Nationals on Tuesday night. The loss brought Myrtle Beach to a 34-24 record while Fredericksburg moved to 28-28.

The Pelicans had no shortage of hits with 12 for the game. Reivaj Garcia (2-4, 2B, 2 RBI, BB) had a standout performance with a two-run double in the bottom of the second inning. Cristian Hernandez (2-3, RBI, BB) and Jefferson Rojas (2-4, RBI) each posted multi-hit performances with runs driven in. The Pelicans left eight on base while going 3-for-8 with runners in scoring position.

Grant Kipp (1-4) allowed a season-high five runs with two earned and took the loss in his five-inning outing off five hits and a walk while striking out six. The Myrtle Beach pitching staff walked just three and struck out nine in the loss.

The Nationals showed off some power with home runs from Paul Witt (1-4, HR, RBI) and Johnathon Thomas (1-4, HR, RBI, BB). Daylen Lile (2-4, 3B, 2 RBI, BB) brought home two on a triple with Elijah Green (1-5, 2 RBI) also driving in two. Fredericksburg turned their seven hits into six runs.

Reliever Miguel Gomez (5-4) tossed a scoreless two innings to take the win with three strikeouts and just one hit allowed in his outing. Starter Brad Lord sacrificed seven hits but just two earned runs in his four-inning outing.

Myrtle Beach opened the scoring in the bottom of the second inning as Garcia knocked in two with two outs. With runners on first and second, Garcia rolled a ball into right-center field as both runners came home and Garcia moved to second for an early 2-0 lead.

The lead was short-lived as the Nationals went ahead with a three-run third. With runners on first and second and one out, Lile smacked a triple to right field to plate both runners as he moved to third. Following an RBI groundout by Green to give the Nationals the lead, Witt hit a moonshot home run to left-center to extend the lead to 4-2.

Thomas added a solo homer down the left field line in the top of the fifth to push the Fredericksburg lead to 5-2.

One more run came in for the visitors in the top of the seventh as Green brought home his second RBI single with a runner on third.

The Pelicans made noise in the bottom of the eighth as two runs came across. With runners on second and third, Hernandez grounded out to short as Moises Ballesteros came home to score. Rojas followed with an infield single on the left side to plate Andy Garriola and the Pelicans brought the lead down to 6-4.

Ballesteros grounded out with a runner on base to end the game.

Myrtle Beach and Fredericksburg will meet for game two of the series on Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m.

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Carolina League Stories from June 13, 2023


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