Despite entering the ninth inning with the lead, the Charleston RiverDogs could not hold on, falling 5-4 to the Myrtle Beach Pelicans on Friday night at Joesph P. Riley, Jr. Ballpark.
Taitn Gray continued his hot start, finishing the night 3-for-4 with a triple. He is now 5-for-7 to start the season with two extra-base hits.
Myrtle Beach jumped on the scoreboard early in the top of the first when they loaded the bases for Alexey Lumpuy who grounded a two-out RBI single.
The RiverDogs roared back in the bottom of the third inning when Gray and Brody Donay notched back-to-back singles to place runners at first and second.
After a wild pitch pushed both runners into scoring position, Daniel Pierce bounced a high chopper to short. On the play, Myrtle Beach shortstop Ty Southisine opted to throw to third. As Donay slid in safely, Gray scored and Pierce reached safely at first to tie the game.
The next hitter was Cooper Flemming, who rolled an RBI groundout to second that pushed Charleston ahead 2-1.
After Myrtle Beach responded with a game-tying homer in the fifth, the RiverDogs provided an immediate response. Leading off the frame, Gray belted a triple to center ahead of Pierce who brought him home with an RBI groundout.
Flemming followed by pounding an RBI single up the middle to do make it 4-2.
Ethan Storm was stout in relief, punching out six hitters over 3.2 innings of one-run ball, marking a memorable professional debut.
The Pelicans began chipping away in the top of the seventh when Josiah Hartshorn launched a solo shot to right, cutting the RiverDogs’ lead to one run.
With one out in the top of the ninth, Cole Mathis launched a two-run homer to left that flipped the score and gave Myrtle Beach a 5-4 lead.
The RiverDogs went down quietly in the ninth as Jordan Henriquez tossed a 1-2-3 inning to slam the door.
With the loss, Charleston falls to 0-2 while Myrtle Beach moves to 2-0. The two return to The Joe tomorrow for final game of the series for Charleston Tea Party Night, in partnership with the Charleston Tea Garden, Summerville DREAM, and Twisted Tea.
Join the RiverDogs in celebrating the Lowcountry’s rich connection to tea. The first 1,000 fans will receive a free tea bag, while all can enjoy a Mini Summerville Sweet Tea Festival on the concourse, including a tea tasting competition.
First pitch is slated for 6:05 p.m. with coverage beginning at 5:50 p.m. on the RiverDogs Broadcast Network.
Fun at the Ballpark: The first Boeing Redshirt Friday of the season was an absolute blast. A sea of red filled the ballpark as fans donned their giveaway T-shirts, displaying a striking show of support for those who serve and have served. On the field, the RiverDogs unveiled their brand-new Boeing Red Shirt Friday uniforms - crisp white jerseys accented by bold red Charleston script across the chest.
The night also featured a special moment of recognition, as Zechariah Massey became the first veteran honored by the RiverDogs this season, earning a heartfelt standing ovation from the crowd of 4,953.