MYRTLE BEACH -- When the Pelicans finally overtook an early Wilmington lead, it was fitting that Gerry Rodriguez had something to do with it.
The Myrtle Beach left fielder scored Myrtle Beach's first run in the bottom of the second when he bulled through Blue Rocks catcher Ben Theriot. He grounded into a double play in the fifth, allowing Yoel Campusano to score, again tying the game.
Rodriguez's RBI double in the seventh tied the game yet again, and one batter later, teammate Geraldo Avila brought Rodriguez home for the go-ahead score.
"We played like a team," Rodriguez said after Myrtle Beach won 6-4 Saturday as the Pelicans improved to 3-0 on the season. "That's what we've been doing. ... We've been doing the job in the field, on defense, on offense."
Said manager Rocket Wheeler: "Rodriguez came through again."
After Rodriguez hit a two-run home run in Thursday's season opener, he also contributed a triple and two runs Friday. Against the Blue Rocks on Saturday, Rodriguez finished 1-for-3 with three runs, a RBI and two walks.
It made the Pelicans' third straight win over Wilmington look more like their opening-day win than the 10-9 slugfest it had Friday night. In that game, Myrtle Beach hit four home runs.
A day after that win - in which Shayne Moody won the game with a ninth-inning home run - the Pelicans went the more conventional route, including the deciding three-run seventh inning. Likewise, the Pelicans' pitching staff slowed Wilmington's production when it mattered most.
Relievers Chad Rodgers (one run allowed) and Jaye Chapman (none) each contributed at least one 1-2-3 inning, making sure that seventh-inning production stuck. Chapman struck out the side in the eighth, and after allowing his only base runner in two innings, got Kansas City Royals third baseman Alex Gordon - playing a rehab stint for Wilmington - to fly out to center to end the game.
Now, the Pelicans will have a chance today to start the season 4-0 if they can get yet another win against the Blue Rocks. While it's early in the season, it would certainly help Myrtle Beach continue to move on from last year - when it lost more games than any season in team history.
"[That] would be sweet if we win [today]," Rodriguez said. "Just keep it going."
Injury update
Utility player Cole Miles is day-to-day after he was hit in the knee with a pitch during Friday night's game. Miles, who played in 119 games and hit .266 last season, is 2-for-7 from the plate through the first two games this year. X-rays on his right knee were negative, and Miles' biggest problem was stiffness. Outfielder Jahdiel Santamaria took Miles' spot in center field on Saturday.
WILMINGTON (DEL.) | MYRTLE BEACH |
| Ab | r | h | Bi | | ab | r | h | bi |
Norris cf | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | Campusano 2b | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Ortiz rf | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | Moody 3b | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Gordon 3b | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | Milligan rf | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Hosmer 1b | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | Rodriguez lf | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
Romak lf | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | Avila 1b | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Taylor dh | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Sucre dh | 4 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
Wood ss | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Kennelly c | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Theriot c | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Gress ss | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Alfaro 2b | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | Santamaria cf | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Totals | 34 | 4 | 7 | 4 | Totals | 29 | 6 | 6 | 4 |
Wilmington | 010 | 110 | 100 | -- | 4 |
Myrtle Beach | 010 | 110 | 300 | -- | 6 |
E-- Avila (1); Santamaria (1). LOB--Blue Rocks 8, Myrtle Beach 10. DP-Blue Rocks 1. 2B--Hosmer (1); Rodriguez (1), 3B-Hosmer (1). SB--Ortiz 2 (3); Norris (1); Rodriguez (1). S-Ortiz. SF-Gordon.
Wilmington | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
Dwyer | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
Thompson L, 0-1 | 2 2/3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 2 |
Baumann | 1 1/3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
Myrtle Beach | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
Spruill | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
Rodgers W, 1-0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Chapman S, 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
WP -Dwyer 2, Baumann . Umpires-Home, Doug Vines, 1B: Chris Graham. T--2:41. A--2,749.
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