Billy McKinney’s solo home run leading off the last of the tenth inning gave the Myrtle Beach Pelicans a 2-1 walk-off win over the Salem Red Sox on Thursday night at TicketReturn.com Field at Pelicans Ballpark. Myrtle Beach took three of four games in the series.
McKinney led off the 10th against Salem reliever Austin Maddox (0-3). After working the count to 3-1, McKinney drove a high fly down the right field line that just got over the wall for his fourth round-tripper of the year. The homer marked the first walk-off loss for Salem this season.
Daniel McGrath started for the Red Sox and took a no-hitter into the sixth inning. The southpaw dealt with command issues, walking six batters before giving up his only hit, a two-out RBI single to Jacob Rogers in the last of the sixth that knotted the game at one. Rogers single drove in McKinney, who walked and moved to third on a throwing error by the catcher Jake Romanski on an errant pickoff attempt.
McGrath didn’t factor in the decision, allowing just the unearned run on one hit in 5.2 frames. He struck out four and walked six while extending his streak of not allowing an earned run to 19.2 innings.
Duane Underwood Jr. was just as solid for Myrtle Beach. The righthander faced the minimum through the first three innings take to two double plays. He tossed five scoreless innings before Franklin Guzman tagged him with a solo shot leading off the sixth to give the Sox a brief 1-0 lead. For Guzman, it was his second homer of the year and the last hit for Salem on the night.
Underwood lasted seven innings, allowing a run on three hits with four strikeouts and a walk. Juan Paniagua tossed two scoreless innings of relief before Michael Heesch (2-0) earned the win by throwing a 1-2-3 tenth.
Salem now returns home to start an eight-game, seven-day homestand on Friday night at 7:05 p.m. against the Carolina Mudcats. Ty Buttrey (1-0, 5.40) will start for the Sox in the opener against the Mudcats’ Yean Carlos Gil (0-4, 3.81). As part of the Freedom Friday series, fans will be treated to a postgame fireworks display. Fans unable to attend can listen to the game on 1240 AM ESPN Roanoke, online at salemsox.com or via the TuneIn Radio app.
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Chris Graham
