Concepcion Rodriguez Blasts First Home Run which Turns Out to be a Walk-Off Win in 10th for Myrtle Beach Pelicans, Nationals Lose 3-2 - Adv A, Carolina League

MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com - Myrtle Beach, S.C. – The Myrtle Beach Pelicans (19-12) and the Potomac Nationals (19-10) were locked in a 2-2 game heading into the bottom of the tenth inning. With one out, Concepcion Rodriguez blistered his first home run of the season over “Land Shark Landing” to give the Pelicans a walk-off 3-2 victory over Northern division leading Potomac. After an hour and 14 minute rain delay at the start, the game came to close with one swing of the bat.

The Potomac Nationals manufactured the game’s first run in the top of the first. Pelicans starter Tommy Hanson lost leadoff batter Michael Martinez by hitting him on the ankle. Martinez stole second and advanced to third on a groundout by Matt Rogelstad. The next hitter, Chris Marrero, hit a sacrifice fly ball to right field to put the P-Nats up 1-0.

Tommy Hanson and Potomac starter Craig Stammen were fully engaged in a pitcher’s duel. Stammen stifled the Pelicans in five innings of work, allowing just three hits, while keeping the Pelicans scoreless. He faced only two batters over the minimum. On the other side, Hanson was equally as impressive, holding the P-Nats silent in his final five innings of duty. Hanson padded his league-leading strikeout total to 49, fanning seven.

Potomac held a slim 1-0 lead until the Pelicans broke through in the sixth. Stammen was replaced by Giuseppe Norrito, who walked the first batter he faced. Then, Brandon Hicks pulled a double down the left field line to put runners at second and third for Flowers. Potomac Manager Randy Knorr decided to intentionally walk Tyler Flowers to put a force at every base. Carolina League Player of the Week Ernesto Mejia made the P-Nats pay as he roped a double down the right field line to score both Travis Jones and Brandon Hicks.

In front 2-1, the Pelicans went to the bullpen and called upon Bryan Dumesnil in the seventh. The British Columbia native displayed a wicked curve ball that confused the Nationals. He struck out two of the four batters he faced in a scoreless frame. Ferdin Tejeda and Kevin Gunderson combined to hold off the Nationals in the eighth.

For the first time all season, Gunderson was unable to convert on a save opportunity. Leonard Davis led off the top of the ninth with a lined single up the middle. He was then sacrificed to second by Frank Diaz. The following batter, Marvin Lowrance, grounded out to second to allow Davis to move to third. The Pelicans were one out away from victory, until Edgardo Baez spoiled the party and hit a flare to right field that tied the game at 2-2.

Nick Fellman , the fifth Pelicans pitcher of the night, earned his first win of the season by setting aside the Nationals in order in the 10^th to set the stage for Concepcion Rodriguez. The Chepo, Panama native launched his 21^st career home run over “Land Shark Landing” to send the Pelicans home victorious.

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