By: RiverDogs Media
Myrtle Beach, SC- The Charleston RiverDogs lost three separate leads in extra innings, eventually succumbing 6-5 to the Myrtle Beach Pelicans in 13 innings on Wednesday night at Pelicans Ballpark. Myrtle Beach collected four consecutive singles with two outs in the final frame, before scoring the winning run on a Juan Rodriguez wild pitch. The RiverDogs fell to 0-13 on Wednesday this season.
Michael Sansone began the 13th frame by retiring the first two batters, maintaining a 5-3 lead in the process. Juan Mora kept the game alive by dropping a single into shallow left. Reivaj Garcia followed with a single through the right side to push the tying run into scoring position. The next two batters, Reivaj Garcia and Pedro Ramirez, beat out infield singles to even the score 5-5. Rodriguez was called on with the bases loaded and his second pitch squirted by catcher Mario Fernandez, allowing Garcia to cross the plate with the winning run.
The RiverDogs (2-2, 29-41) scored the first runs of the game on a safety squeeze bunt single by Odalys Peguero in the top of the tenth frame. Christopher Barete, who made a game-saving diving catch in the ninth, punched a line drive into center field in the next at-bat to make it 2-0. However, Myrtle Beach received a leadoff RBI double from Pedro Ramirez in the bottom of the inning. With two outs, Parker Chavers tied the score with a single to right field.
Each team scored one run in the 11th frame and could not muster a run in the 12th. In the top of the 13th, the RiverDogs had runners on the corners with no outs. Chandler Simpson baited Starlyn Pichardo into a balk that forced in the go-ahead run. Later in the frame, Ryan Spikes added an RBI infield single to hand the visitors the lead before the painful ending.
Earlier in the contest, two Myrtle Beach (2-2, 41-28) pitchers combined to carry a perfect game into the eighth inning. Starter Grant Kipp struck out seven over 5.0 innings, avoiding solid contact throughout his appearance. Erian Rodriguez was also perfect through his first 2.0 innings on the hill before allowing an infield single to Spikes to open the eighth.
Fortunately for the RiverDogs, Yoniel Curet was fantastic on the mound for the once again. He blanked the Pelicans over 5.0 innings, scattering four hits and recording four strikeouts. In his last six starts, he has combined to work 31.0 innings, while allowing just one run on 10 hits. He has collected 36 strikeouts in that span.
The bullpen was also solid as Jeff Hakanson, Jack Hartman and Matt Wyatt covered the next 4.0 innings to send the game to extra frames with no score. Sansone ended up with the tough luck loss after working 2.2 innings and allowing four runs, two earned, on five hits.
The RiverDogs received two hits from Spikes to lead their seven-hit effort. Enderson Delgado entered the game as a defensive replacement in the eighth inning and recorded an RBI double in his first at-bat with the RiverDogs. Myrtle Beach collected 12 hits with five players recording two each.
The series resumes on Thursday night at 7:05 p.m. LHP Alex Ayala Jr. (0-3, 4.28) will take the mound for the RiverDogs. The Pelicans plan on LHP Drew Gray making his first start for the team.
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).
Myrtle Beach 6, Charleston 5 (13 Innings)
Click here for the box score
Win: Pichardo (2-1)
Loss: Sansone (3-2)
HR: Charleston: None
