Pelicans go deep to knock off Potomac Nationals

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans (50-39-Overall, 28-17-Road, 9-11-Second Half) used three home runs to cruise to a 5-2 victory over the Potomac Nationals (44-44-Overall, 25-20-Home, 11-7-Second Half) in Game One of the series at Pfitzner Stadium on Wednesday night.

RHP John Simms (5-6, 3.01) gave up a season high three long balls to the Pelicans en route to taking his sixth loss of the season, pitching six innings and giving up five runs (three earned) on six hits, three walks and three strikeouts even though he logged his tenth quality start of the season.

After an 18 minute delayed start, the game got under way with a scoreless first inning on both sides of the diamond as RHP Jen-Ho Tseng (3-6, 3.67) made the start for Myrtle Beach. He logged a quality start and in his seven innings on the mound he allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits, he walked three and struck out two.

The Flock got on the board in the second against Simms when DH Kevin Brown banged a two out single and LF Pin-Chieh Chen laced a double down the left field line to put runners on second and third. Simms then issued back-to-back free passes with CF Trey Martin taking the RBI on ball four that pushed home Brown for a 1-0 Pelican lead.

The scoring continued for Myrtle when in the third inning and again with two outs when 1B Jacob Rogers absolutely crushed a ball from Simms over all three tiers of signage in right field for a 2-0 Pelicans lead. After a 2B Khayyan Norfork made an error on a ground ball by C Victor Caratini kept the inning going, Brown slammed another home run over the right field wall for a 4-0 Pelican lead.

Myrtle Beach plated its final run in the top of the fifth on a SS Chesney Young solo bomb for a 5-0 Pelican advantage.

Potomac cracked the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth When OF Narciso Mesa reached on a fielder’s choice ball against Tseng. On the play an error moved Mesa to second base and he then swiped third before coming home on a SS Stephen Perez RBI groundout to cut the lead to 5-1 Myrtle.

In Tseng’s final inning, the seventh, Potomac scored their final run of the game after Norfork led-off with a triple, his third hit of the night and scored on a DH Jimmy Yezzo RBI Single to make it a 5-2 Pelican lead. For Norfork, he set a season high with his three hit night.

RHP Justin Amlung came into the game for Simms in the seventh and was excellent out of the bullpen logging three perfect innings to wrap up the game for Potomac.

RHP Josh Conway threw a scoreless eighth inning and RHP Fernando Cruz (SV 2) earned his second save of the season pitching a perfect ninth inning.

Tomorrow night’s Game Two will see RHP Austen Williams (1-0, 3.00) toe the rubber for Potomac against RHP Jonathan Martinez (5-1, 2.92) for the Pelicans.

Game Two of the series is set for a 7:05 pm first pitch from Pfitzner Stadium and Potomac Nationals baseball will be on the air starting at 6:50 pm. You can listen live via the TuneIn Radio App as well as at www.potomacnationals.com starting with the “P-Nats Lead-Off Show.”

Tomorrow night at The Pfitz fans can enjoy Thursday Cheers presented by Yellow Cab, Community Night: St. Patrick’s Day and Ladies Night with pre-game wine tasting.