The Myrtle Beach Pelicans, Class A-Advanced Affiliate of the Texas Rangers, moved to 2-0 on the season dropping the Wilmington Blue Rock, 2-1, in front of 3,053 at TicketReturn.com Field at Pelicans Ballpark on Saturday.
Starting pitcher Roman Mendez set the tone early, striking out the side in the first. He finished with nine K’s on the night. The Pelicans struck out 11 as a team and have racked up 24 in their first two games. Mendez earned the win after firing six innings of three hit ball. He faced just three batters in all but one inning.
Jared Hoying provided the Birds offense, scoring both runs for his team. Hoying tripled in the first inning, lacing a ball down the rightfield line. He scored two batters later on a single by Christian Villanueva for a 1-0 lead.
The Rocks evened the score in the fourth, scoring on an RBI single from Roman Hernandez.
That deadlock didn’t last, however, and in the sixth Hoying came through again. The first of four straight Pelicans to reach off reliever Chase Boruff, Hoying bunted for a single and came around on a Telis double two batters later. The Pelicans led by the final score, 2-1.
Hoying finished the night 3-4 while Villanueva ended 3-3 with and RBI. Hoying has scored three of his team’s eight runs this season.
Myrtle Beach (2-0) goes for the series sweep to open the season Sunday at 6:05. Nick Tepesch pitches against Yordano Ventura.
