The Fredericksburg Nationals took an 8-2 defeat against the Myrtle Beach Pelicans to wrap up the six-game set.
After a scoreless first inning, the Nats struck in the top of the second. Sammy Infante opened the frame with a double, then later, Branden Boissiere doubled as well to plate Infante with the first run of the game.
Brad Lord worked through another scoreless frame in the third inning, before Myrtle Beach tagged him for a run in the fourth. Moises Ballesteros drew a leadoff walk, and moved up to second base on a fielder’s choice ground ball. Cristian Hernandez delivered for the Birds, with a two-out single which tied the game at 1-1.
Ballesteros added another run in the home half of the fifth, before a big sixth inning for the Pelicans blew the game open. Felix Stevens demolished a solo home run on the first pitch of the sixth, and Hernadez walked after that. Pedro Ramirez singled to put two runners aboard, when Rafael Morel doubled to plate both men and put the Pelicans ahead 4-1. Reivaj Garcia kept the frame rolling with his two-run triple to make it a 6-1 edge, before Juan Mora tacked on another run to push Myrtle Beach ahead 7-1.
The Nats added a run in the eighth on a triple by Daylen Lile, but it was not enough as the Pelicans eventually won 8-2, and clinched a playoff berth in the process. Brody McCullough improved to 5-1 with the winning effort, and Mason Denaburg fell to 3-3. Next week, the FredNats start the second week of their road trip against the Columbia Fireflies.
