HICKORY, N.C (May 5, 2026). – The Myrtle Beach Pelicans (14-14) took the series opener against the Hickory Crawdads (16-12) 7-5 at L.P. Frans Stadium on Tuesday night.
Trailing the Crawdads 4-2, entering the top of the fifth, the Pelicans started to mount a comeback. Alexis Hernandez reached base on a groundout and then moved to second on a wild pitch. The next batter Josiah Hartshorn singled home Hernandez to trim the deficit to 4-3.
The Birds completed the comeback in the top of the sixth. Michael Carico worked a leadoff walk. A batter later Jose Escobar (2) smashed a two-run home run to give the Pelicans a 5-4 lead.
Myrtle Beach struck again in the top of the eighth. Escobar led off the frame with a single and then moved to second on a wild pitch. After Escobar advanced to third on another wild pitch, Derniche Valdez grounded out which allowed Escobar to score, making the game 6-4.
The Crawdads didn’t go down without a fight in the bottom of the eighth. Marcos Torres (6) hit an inside-the-park home run to cut the deficit to 6-5.
The Pelicans scratched one more insurance run across in the top of the ninth. Hernandez doubled and then came around to score when Hartshorn laced an RBI single to make the game 7-5.
Myrtle Beach started the scoring in the top of the first. Hernandez singled and then scored on an RBI double from Hartshorn to give the Pelicans a 1-0 lead. Following a walk drawn by Alexey Lumpuy, Carico singled to load the bases. The next batter Poteet grounded out which scored Hartshorn to extend the Birds lead to 2-0.
Hickory struck back in the bottom of the first. Paulino Santana walked and then moved to second on a groundout. Hector Osorio laced an RBI single to score Santana and cut the deficit to 2-1.
Hickory took a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth. Osorio singled and then moved to second on a fielder’s choice coupled with a throwing error that put Daniel Flames aboard. The next batter Wady Mendez (1) cranked a three-run home run to make the score 4-2.
LHP Victor Zarraga (2-1, 4.26) received the win for Myrtle Beach. RHP Aneudis Mejia (1-3, 9.18) was tagged with the loss for Hickory. RHP Jordan Henriquez (S,2) got the save for the Pelicans.
Myrtle Beach will continue their six-game away series against the Hickory Crawdads (Single-A Texas Rangers) on Wednesday May 6 at 6:00 PM. LHP Pierce Coppola (0-0, 0.00) will start on the mound for the Pelicans. LHP Aidan Deakins (1-0, 0.49) gets the nod for the Crawdads.
For tickets and more information, visit MyrtleBeachPelicans.com/Tickets