The final two outs of the game were made at home plate as the Myrtle Beach Pelicans held on to a 2-1 win over the Potomac Nationals. Two plays at the plate that could have forced extra-innings instead become the 26th and 27th outs for the P-Nats.
The contest came down to a wacky ninth inning with the Pelicans leading the Nationals 2-1. JP Ramirez led off the frame with a infield single and advanced to second on a throwing error by Santiago Chirino. Kevin Keyes reached on another error by Chirino to put runners at first and third with no outs. Zach Walters hit a ball to medium left that Jared Hoying collected and fired to home with Ramirez tagging from third. Catcher Vinny DiFazio tagged out Ramirez who tried to slide on the inside part of the line with the throw beating him for the second out of the inning. Keyes advanced to second on the play. The next batter Michael Taylor hit an infield single and Keyes tried to score all the way from second but was thrown out by 15 feet to end the game.
Potomac opened the scoring in the second inning with Walters hitting a solo shot off of Wilmer Font to take a 1-0 lead. It was the fifth home run of the year for Walters. After not retiring a batter in his first start in South Carolina against Potomac in April, Font didn’t factor into the decision giving up one run over five innings tonight.
The Pelicans were held scoreless for five innings by Nationals starter Trevor Holder but were able to break through in the sixth. Brett Nicholas double down the left field line scored Teodoro Martinez to tie the game 1-1.
Myrtle would score again against Holder in the eighth with Nicholas and Christian Villanueva hitting back-to-back doubles to give the Birds their first lead of the game 2-1. In his longest start of the season, Holder (3-2) gave up two runs over seven and two-thirds innings and took the loss for the second time against Myrtle Beach.
Pelicans reliever Ben Rowen (4-0) got the win tossing the last two innings scoreless.
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Chris Graham
