Myrtle Beach, S.C. (WBTW) — The Myrtle Beach Pelicans overcame a three-run deficit to force extra innings, but fell 5-4 to the Down East Wood Ducks in 11 innings on Sunday night at TicketReturn.com Field at Pelicans Ballpark.
The Wood Ducks (50-20) found the scoreboard in the top of the third inning. After a leadoff double from Tyler Depreta-Johnson, Erick Leal struck out back-to-back batters before he walked a pair to fill the bases. With the bases loaded, Sam Huff doubled off the left field wall and plated a pair that gave the Woodies a 2-0 lead.
Myrtle Beach (21-46) cut the lead in half with a run of their own in the bottom of the third. After the Pelicans put their first two runners on base via a single and a walk, Carlos Sepulveda singled to left field and scored Grant Fennell to close the gap to 2-1.
Down East increased the distance between themselves and the Birds with a pair of runs in the fifth inning. A single by Eric Jenkins and a walk from Leody Taveras put runners at first and second with no outs. The runners attempted a double steal and Miguel Amaya’s throw soared into left field that allowed Jenkins to score and made it 3-1. Two batters later, Diosbel Arias drove in Taveras and increased the Woodies lead to 4-1.
Tyler Payne put the Birds back on the board in the sixth when he launched a two-run homer to left field that cut the gap to 4-3.
The Pelicans tied the game in the bottom of the eighth inning when the banged out four-consecutive singles off of Scott Engler to plate a run. After Cam Balego and Miguel Amaya singled with one out in the inning, Zach Davis was inserted to run for Balego and he scored on a single from Payne and the Pelicans tied it at 4-4.
After Tyler Peyton tossed a scoreless top of the ninth inning, the Pelicans pushed a pair of runners into scoring position in the bottom half of the ninth, but Miguel Amaya flied out to right to send the game into extras.
The Birds escaped the top of the tenth without surrendering a run and Amaya started the inning at second. Amaya advanced to third on a wild pitch and the Wood Ducks intentionally walked Kevonte Mitchell and Aramis Ademan to load the bases for Grant Fennell who grounded into a double play to end the inning.
In the top of the eleventh, a balk from Payne sent Hasuan Viera to third and he scored on a single from Yonny Hernandez that put the Woodies up 5-4 and that would be the final in 11 innings.
Sunday’s game was the final game of the first half of the year for the Pelicans who finished the half with a record of 21-46. The Pelicans will start fresh on Thursday after the All-Star break when they welcome in the Fayetteville Woodpeckers for the first of four games with first pitch slated for 7:05.