NORTH AUGUSTA, SC: The GreenJackets exploded for six runs in the 6th to tie the ballgame, but ceded five runs in the top of the 8th as they failed to extend their home winning streak in an 11-6 loss.
The Pelicans showed up determined to end their five-game losing streak, and attacked Owen Hackman early and often to take an early lead. Myrtle Beach scored three batters into the game, as Angel Cepeda began the game with a triple and trotted home on a Leonel Espinoza single to open the scoring.
The road offense continued to pound away in the 3rd, chasing Hackman before he got through three innings. Cole Mathis led the offensive charge throughout the ballgame, and launched his first of two homers on the night in the 3rd to enhance the lead. The Pelicans would add solo shots in the 4th off of David Rodriguez from Alexey Lumpuy and Espinoza to push the lead to a half dozen after four.
Augusta’s entire offense came in the 5th, as starter Nazier Mule began to tire after four hitless innings. Mule walked Douglas Glod and hit Jake Steels to set the tone, before chaos ensued on a Luis Sanchez dribbler. Sanchez’s roller stumped Mule, who tossed it too low for first baseman Matt Halbach to snare.
Halbach was bowled over by Sanchez, and Glod scored. Mule exacerbated the issue by tossing the recovered ball down the 3rd base line, adding another run. A balk and tertiary error cut the lead to two, and Nick Montgomery greeted new reliever Luis Martinez-Gomez with a two-run shot to left to tie the game.
Neither side would score in the 6th or 7th, as Martinez-Gomez and Brett Sears traded zeroes. Everything spun
south in the top of the 8th for the home side, which started innocuously as Sears retired the first two men he faced. Sears allowed a single to Lumpuy and hit Cepeda, and Wynston Sawyer opted to take the ball and send Jackson Dannelley to the mound. Dannelley was promptly lit up by the Pelicans, who grabbed singles from Jose Escobar and Espinoza to take the lead before Mathis crushed his 2nd homer of the night to make it an 11-6 game.
Brayden Spears came on to retire the final six GreenJackets, as Augusta fell for the first time this week. Sears took the loss, while Martinez-Gomez grabbed his first win as a Pelican.
Tomorrow the GreenJackets take the field as the Augusta Azaleas, marking the official on-field debut of the highly anticipated alternate identity. Limited tickets remain for the two Azaleas games, which will feature a blanket giveaway and limited quantities of Azaleas gear for sale. First pitch tomorrow is at 7:05, with gates opening at 6 p.m.
