Davidson hits 2-run HR in 4-3 loss

Braxton Davidson hit a go-ahead home run in the sixth inning, but the Pelicans came back with a run in the sixth and eighth innings to escape with a 4-3 win against the Mudcats on Friday night in Myrtle Beach.

Davidson was 1-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs in the loss for the Mudcats (30-42, 1-1). Sal Giardina was 2-for-4 and scored when Davidson (4) hit his home run in the sixth.

The Mudcats scored a run in the third, scored twice in the sixth and led 3-2 after Davidson’s home run. Myrtle Beach (37-35, 1-1) answered with at least one run each time the Mudcats scored and tied the game in the sixth before taking the lead for good in the eighth.

The game was played in just over three hours and started one hour and 25 minutes late after a rain delay before the game.

Carolina struck first and took a 1-0 lead in the third after getting back-to-back doubles from Tanner Murphy and Stephen Gaylor. Starter Erick Leal allowed both hits and gave up a total of three runs on five hits over six innings.

Myrtle Beach came back with two runs in the third after collecting four hits and scoring twice against Carolina starter Matt Withrow. The rally started with a bunt single by Charcer Burks, continued with a swinging bunt hit from Rashad Crawford and then back-to-back doubles by Gleyber Torres and Jason Vosler.

The Pelicans led 2-1 when Withrow left the game with two men on in the fifth. Zack Bird followed Withrow out of the bullpen and finished the frame without allowing a run despite walking the first batter he faced.

Withrow allowed just two runs on a season-high eight hits in the game. He also walked two and struck out two while not earning a decision.

Bird pitched through part of the sixth, but left the game with two men on base. Michael O’Neal took over for Bird out of the bullpen and lost the 3-2 lead after allowing an inherited runner to score on a wild pitch. O’Neal (1-1, 2.41) also gave up an RBI double to Burks in the eighth and suffered both his first blown save and first loss of the season.

Burks was 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI for the Pelicans in the series-tying victory. Vosler and Yasiel Balaguert also had two hits and were 2-for-3 in the Friday night game.

Sean McLaughlin followed O’Neal in the eighth and finished the frame by getting Torres to hit into an inning-ending double play. The Carolina bullpen inherited a total of six runners in the game and allowed just one to score.

Leal started for the Pelicans and worked through the sixth before giving way to the bullpen and relievers Daury Torrez, Tommy Thorpe and Ryan McNeil. Torrez pitched a scoreless seventh (1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 SO), Thorpe (3-4, 3.98) worked a scoreless eighth and pitched into the ninth before McNeil finished the game. Thorpe (1  1/3 IP, 1 H, 0 R) and McNeil ( 2/3 IP, 2 SO) combined to keep the Mudcats scoreless over the final two innings and earned the win and save, respectively. McNeil struck out two straight in the ninth while earning the save.

This story was originally published June 24, 2016 at 11:30 PM with the headline "Davidson hits 2-run HR in 4-3 loss."