CarL Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Wetzel's Late Homer Lifts Pelicans over RiverDogs

Published on August 14, 2021 under Carolina League (CarL)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release


After dropping the last three games, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans won game five of the series against the Charleston RiverDogs 6-4 on Saturday night. The win gives the Pelicans a chance at the series tie with a win in the finale on Sunday. Myrtle Beach moves up to 44-45 on the year, while Charleston drops to 63-25. Saturday was also Deaf Awareness Night at Pelicans Ballpark, as the home team came out in uniforms that read "MYR" in sign language on front. The uniforms were auctioned off during the game, as the event also featured a "silent inning" in the bottom of the second with no PA sound and a sign language interpreter on the big screen. The night was presented by Young Talkers, a pediatric speech therapy clinic in Myrtle Beach.

The Pelicans totaled eight hits as a team with Jacob Wetzel (1-4, HR, 2 RBI) hitting the big two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth to put the Birds in front. Pablo Aliendo (0-1, 2 RBI) brought home two runs on sacrifice flies to help the Pelicans lineup. The Birds were efficient with runners in scoring position, going 3-7 for the game.

After surrendering double-digit hits in each of the first four games of the series, the Myrtle Beach pitching staff held Charleston to only five hits with 12 strikeouts. Jose Miguel Gonzalez (4-4) came out of the bullpen and grabbed the win for the Pelicans with two earned runs off three hits in his 3 1/3 innings. Bailey Reid picked up his sixth save of the year by closing out the final 1 2/3 innings with two strikeouts. DJ Herz started Saturday's game with six strikeouts through four innings.

While being held to just five hits, the RiverDogs managed to turn that into four runs with Patrick Merino (1-3, HR, RBI) hitting hit first home run of the season. Alika Williams (1-4, RBI) brought home his sixth RBI of the series with a single as well. The RiverDogs stranded nine runners on base while going 2-8 with runners in scoring position.

The loss went to Jose Lopez (3-6) after giving up three earned runs in just under five innings in relief. Lefty Luis Moncada opened the game with just 2 1/3 innings after sacrificing three unearned runs in his first frame of work.

The game started out with a bang for the home team as Myrtle Beach posted three runs in their half of the first. Josue Huma started by reaching base on a throwing error by third baseman Johan Lopez. Jordan Nwogu worked a walk two batters later and Matt Mervis hit Huma in with a double off the right-field wall to take the lead first. Aliendo followed with his first sacrifice fly to right that scored Nwogu, and Sierra brought home Mervis on a ground ball that deflected off Moncada and went to third. The lead was 3-0 after the opening frame.

Charleston got back in the ballgame in the top of the third. Michael Berglund and Williams reached base on a hit-by-pitch and a walk and both advanced on a wild pitch by Herz. Osleivis Basabe came up and flew on to deep right field that Sierra caught and allowed Berglund to score the first run. Williams was knocked in on a single by Embry to make it a 3-2 ballgame.

The RiverDogs moved ahead in the sixth as Merino took the first pitch from Gonzalez and put it over the left-field wall for his first home run of the year and the game was tied 3-3. Luis Leon drew a walk with one out and got to second on a two-out single by Berglund. Williams came up and lined a single to left field that scored Leon and gave Charleston their first lead of the game at 4-3.

That lead was short-lived as the Pelicans came right back in the bottom half. With one out, Matt Warkentin drew a walk on a 3-2 pitch to get on base. Wetzel followed by flying an 0-2 pitch over the left-field wall for an opposite-field home run that put Myrtle Beach back in front at 5-4.

The Pelicans added one more insurance run as Kevin Made, Nwogu, and Yohendrick Pinango all singled to load up the bases. Aliendo hit a sacrifice fly to center that scored Made and extended the lead to 6-4.

Sunday's series finale between the Pelicans and the RiverDogs is slated for a 6:05 p.m. first pitch.

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Carolina League Stories from August 14, 2021


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