Pelicans sweep doubleheader over Columbia, extend winning streak to 7

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - The Myrtle Beach Pelicans continued their winning ways with two wins over the Columbia Fireflies in Wednesday’s doubleheader. The Birds won game one 5-4 and game two 3-1. Both wins moved Myrtle Beach up to 12-5 on the season while Columbia dropped to 6-11. The Pelicans now match their longest winning streak from last year at seven games.

Game One:

In just seven innings, the Pelicans tallied 10 hits in their 5-4 victory over the Fireflies. Pete Crow-Armstrong (3-4, 2 R) led the lineup with his second three-hit game of the season. James Triantos (3-3, 2 RBI) collected three singles with two runs batted in his best performance of the season. Juan Mora (0-1, 2 RBI, 2 BB) brought home two runs on a sacrifice fly.

Jose Miguel Gonzalez (2-0) took the win with three scoreless innings in relief with just one hit allowed and four strikeouts to only two walks. Tyler Schlaffer started his fourth game of the year and gave up three earned runs across four innings off three hits and four strikeouts.

Guillermo Quintana (2-2, HR, 2 RBI, BB) homered in the first inning to give the Fireflies the lead. Omar Hernandez (0-3, RBI) and Erick Pena (1-2, RBI) brought home two runs in the fourth. Columbia was held to just four hits through the seven-inning contest.

Fireflies starter Noah Cameron (0-1) took the loss after sacrificing five earned runs off six hits in his 3 1/3 innings. Cameron also walked three in his outing.

Columbia started the game with a bang as Quintana homered to left field with River Town on base to take an early 2-0 lead.

The Pelicans’ response came shortly after with one run in their half of the first. Crow-Armstrong led off with a bunt-single that flew over Cameron’s head to second base. After walks to Mora and Triantos, Kevin Alcantara grounded into a force out at second as Crow-Armstrong crossed the plate to make it 2-1 Columbia.

A three-run third inning sent the Pelicans into the lead. Malcom Quintero led off with a walk and Liam Spence singled a batter later with one out. Crow-Armstrong knocked his second infield single to load the bases. Mora stepped in and flew a pitch out to deep right-center field. After catching it, Pena allowed Quintero and Spence to score on a two-run sacrifice fly to give Myrtle Beach a 3-2 lead. Crow-Armstrong moved to third on a wild pitch and came in on a Triantos single to complete the inning.

Columbia grabbed two back in their half of the fourth with Quintana hitting a single to shallow left to lead off. He moved to second on a wild pitch by Schlaffer and third on a balk. Omar Hernandez came up with one out and hit a grounder to Spence at short that was fumbled as Quintana scored and Hernandez reached on the error. Hernandez advanced to second on another balk and third on the second wild pitch of the inning. Pena came up and hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Hernandez and tie the game.

The go-ahead run came across in the bottom of the fourth for Myrtle Beach. BJ Murray Jr. led off with a double into left-center field for his first hit. Crow-Armstrong smashed his third single in between first and second with one out to put runners on the corners. After Delvin Capellon came out of the bullpen and gave up a walk to Mora, Triantos singled to shallow center to score Murray Jr. and give the home team a 5-4 lead.

Game Two:

Pitching dominated the second half of Wednesday’s doubleheader with Myrtle Beach posting just six hits and three runs. James Triantos (2-3, 2B, RBI) brought his hit total for the day up to five. Kevin Alcantara (1-1, 2 RBI, BB) hit a sacrifice fly and an RBI single to lead the offensive effort.

The win went to Walker Powell (3-0) with his two innings in relief with one earned run off three hits and a pair of strikeouts. Luke Little logged his best start of the season with six strikeouts across three hitless innings. Jake Reindl earned his first save of the year by pitching the final inning.

Columbia was held to just three hits and a single run with Omar Hernandez (1-3, 2B, RBI) providing the only hitting of the game.

Starting pitcher Luinder Avila (1-3) lasted five innings and took the loss with a pair of unearned runs off four hits and two walks to one strikeout.

Myrtle Beach set the tone with a two-run first inning to take an early lead. Crow-Armstrong led off with a single to first base. Mora followed with a sacrifice bunt back to Avila on the mound. Avila’s throw to first went wild as Crow-Armstrong moved to third and Mora to second. Triantos knocked in Crow-Armstrong on an infield single to short. Mora came in on Alcantara’s sacrifice fly to center to give the Pelicans a 2-0 lead.

The Fireflies saw their only run come in the top of the fourth inning as Town singled with one out. Hernandez followed with an RBI double to the wall in center to make it a 2-1 Pelicans lead.

The finishing run came in the Birds’ half of the sixth. Triantos doubled down the left-field line with one out for his fifth hit of the day. After moving to third on a wild pitch, Triantos scored on a single by Alcantara to push the lead to 3-1.

The Pelicans and Fireflies will meet for game three of the series on Thursday night at 7:05 p.m.

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