FredNats Blow a Late Lead, Fall 8-7 to Pelicans

Myrtle Beach, SC - The Fredericksburg Nationals led by two into the 8th, but couldn’t hold on in an 8-7 loss to the Myrtle Beach Pelicans.

The FredNats took the games first lead in the top of the 2nd. Juan Cruz and Elian Soto deployed a double steal, and an error by the catcher allowed Cruz, the lead runner to score and make it 1-0. Myrtle Beach then scored five unanswered runs, plating one in the 2nd, three in the 3rd, and 1 in the 4th.

The Nationals responded right away though, plating two in the 5th. Brady Cerkownyk and Manny Cabrera both had RBI singles to get the deficit down to two. Hunter Hines hit a solo homer to lead off the 6th to make it a one run game. Then, in the 7th, Dashyll Tejeda led off the inning with a double. He was brought home by Cerkownyk who was then plated by Luke Dickerosn who hit his 10th home run of the season to put Fredericksburg up 7-5 in the top of the 7th.

That lead was short lived though, as in the bottom of the 8th, Ike Buxton walked the first two, then allowed a three run home run from Ivan Cespedes that put the Pelicans up 8-7. Fredericksburg was retired in order in the 9th.

With the loss, the FredNats drop their third game of the series. They’ll need a win tomorrow to continue the undefeated streak in series that currently sits at 13. LHP Levi Heusman will get the start in the final game before the all-star break. RHP Daniel Avitia starts for Myrtle Beach. First pitch is set for 6:35 PM from Pelicans Ballpark.