The Pelicans won an up and down battle against the Diablos in El Paso Tuesday night. Brent Solich earned his first professional win, and Hunter Davis picked up his second save as Pensacola defeated El Paso 7-6 in ten innings.
Kennard Bibbs put the Diablos on the board first, scoring on an RBI single to right by Arnoldo Ponce in the bottom of the first frame. The Diablos doubled-down in the second, scoring Tyler Johnson when Eddy Rodriguez hit a one-out RBI double down the left field line.
With the score 2-0 El Paso, the Pelicans’ bats woke up in the fourth. Antoin Gray led off the inning with his first double of the year, moving to third when Bautista singled. Marcos Rodriguez put the Pels on the board, hitting a sacrifice play to right center. Chase Burch then hit an RBI double to left, and Jimmy Mojica hit Burch in with an RBI single. Pelicans three, Diablos two.
The top of the sixth saw the Pelicans score two more, as Chase Burch acquired his third hit, and then Jimmy Mojica singled as well. Francisco Leandro then moved both runners home on a double, and the Pelicans led by three.
The Diablos answered back in the bottom of the inning, putting up four runs. El Paso led up until the top of the eighth, when Justin Humphries led off the inning plunked by Robert Wooley. Dallas Christison pinch ran for Humphries at first, taking second on a sacrifice bunt by Marcos Rodriguez. Jimmy Mojica brought Christison in to score on an RBI double. Tie ballgame heading to the tenth.
Adam Deleo replaced Humphries at catcher, and belted a double to left in the top of the tenth. Marcos Rodriguez hit a groundball that ate up the second baseman, and Deleo scored the Pelicans winning run.
Hunter Davis struck out two in the bottom of the tenth, earning his second save of the year.
The Pelicans will play at 10:30 a.m. in El Paso on Wednesday, with LHP Dan Smith (0-0, 1.29) going up against RHP Josh Neitz (0-0, 1.50). The game will be broadcast live on the internet via SportsJuice.com. The Pelicans provide a link to the broadcast on their website, www.pensacolapelicans.com.
