MYRTLE BEACH — The Pelicans and Dash battled back-and-forth, Myrtle Beach starter Luke Jackson tossed a quality start, but Winston-Salem was able to get some timely hitting to take down the Pelicans 4-3 on Friday at TicketReturn.com Field at Pelicans Ballpark.

“It was quality,” Pelicans manager Jason Wood said of Jackson’s start. “He pounded that zone and made some pitches when he needed to. In all honesty, he kept his composure and it was a great start. A lot of good things out of Luke tonight, but a good team like this just took advantage.”

Jackson gave up three runs (two earned) on seven hits and one walk. The right-hander also struck out four for a no-decision.

“I think Luke did a great job by keeping us in the ballgame tonight,” Wood said. “He had a really good fastball. In all honesty, he pitched well enough to win tonight.”

Pelicans righty Matt West was stuck with the loss after two innings of work in which he gave up one run on two hits and no walks.

The Pelicans started on a good note when Odubel Herrera blasted a solo home run in the bottom of the first to give Myrtle Beach a 1-0 lead.

“That’s how you set the tone,” Wood said of Herrera’s lead off home run. “Herrera and Hanser Alberto do a pretty good job at getting a lot of pitches in one at-bat and it kind of helps out the rest of the lineup. It’s nice to get that leadoff homer though.”

The Dash came right back in the top of the second when Kevan Smith tripled in Cyle Hankered, who was hit by a pitch, to tie the game at 1. Keenyn Walker scored on a Trayce Thompson base hit, and Winston-Salem took a 2-1 lead in the top of the third.

Edwin Garcia drove in Brett Nicholas on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fifth as the Pelicans tied the game at 2. Myrtle Beach took the lead in the bottom of the sixth when Herrera drove in Teodoro Martinez on a single.

Winston-Salem caught a break in the top of the seventh when Smith drove in Micheal Earley on an infield triple that bounced off Jackson as the Dash tied the game at 3. Winston-Salem didn’t stop there. Dan Black drove in Walker on a game-winning single.

Meanwhile, the Pelicans were 2 for 10 with runners in scoring position and left 10 men on base.

“I know we left a bunch of men on base. When you do that it’s tough to catch up and we didn’t, so it hurt us,” Wood said.

The Pelicans will try to take game two of the three-game series on Saturday at 7:05 p.m.

Contact MAX McKINNON at 444-1767.