MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (July 8, 2026). – The Myrtle Beach Pelicans (8-10, 35-47) dropped game three of the six-game set against the Fredericksburg Nationals (9-9, 55-29) 6-3 at Pelicans Ballpark on Thursday night. With the loss, the Pelicans still lead the series 2-1.
Infielder Ludwing Espinoza returned from the injured list on Thursday night and didn’t disappoint in his return. Espinoza went 3-5, all singles in his first game back in Single-A after missing 54 games.
Fredericksburg started the scoring in the top of the second. Rafael Ramirez Jr. singled and later scored on an RBI double from Elian Soto to give the Frednats a 1-0 advantage.
The Frednats added to their lead in the top of the fifth. Gavin Fien and Luke Dickerson smacked singles to start the frame. The next batter Hunter Hines (6) rocketed a three-run home run to make the score 4-0. Juan Cruz (8) followed him by hitting a solo shot to bring the lead to 5-0.
Myrtle Beach started to claw back in the bottom of the sixth. Alexey Lumpuy singled and then scored on a double coupled with a fielding error from Derniche Valdez to cut the deficit to 5-1. The next batter Eli Lovich smacked an RBI double to make the score 5-2.
In the top of the seventh, Fredericksburg tacked on one more run in the top of the seventh. Ramirez Jr. roped a leadoff double and later scored on an RBI single from Soto to stretch the lead to 6-2.
The Pelicans had one last gasp in the bottom of the eighth. Valdez lined a one-out single and then moved to third on a single from Lovich. A batter later, a wild pitch allowed Valdez to score which made the score 6-3, but that was all the Pelicans could muster.
RHP Leuris Portorreal (3-3, 4.91) received the win for the Nationals. RHP Emilio Ramos (1-2, 7.82) was tagged with the loss for the Pelicans.
Myrtle Beach continues their two-week homestand on Friday night, July 10 against the Fredericksburg Nationals (Single-A Washington Nationals). First pitch is slated for 7:05 P.M. at Pelicans Ballpark. RHP Braylon Myers (3-1, 2.18) will start on the mound for the Pelicans. RHP Marlon De La Cruz (0-2, 4.00) gets the ball for the Frednats.
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