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The Grand Prairie AirHogs pounded out fourteen hits tonight in a rally behind the strong performance of starter Matt Green to hold off the Pensacola Pelicans for an 8-4 win.

The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the fourth when Mike Conroy got the bats started by singling to second base. Aaron Garza laid a bunt single down the third base line advancing Conroy to second. Jay Yaconetti followed up with a base hit into left field, scoring Conroy from second to give the AirHogs the early 1-0 lead. Brandon Carter followed with another hit past the diving second basemen to score Garza and push the lead to two.

The AirHogs struck again the very next inning scoring two more by combining a Cesar Nicolas walk and back-to-back doubles from J.B. Tucker and Mike Conroy to make the score 4-0.

The Pelicans threatened to tie the game in the seventh when they received back-to-back singles from Luis Guance and Rafael Alvarez. A wild pitch advanced the runners to second and third before Marcos Rodriguez grounded out to second base to score Alvarez. Dallas Christison roped a two run double to right field to make the score 4-3.

The AirHogs added another run in the bottom half of the inning on an Aaron Garza singled that scored Mike Conroy to give the AirHogs a two run lead.

Pensacola fought back scoring one more run in the eighth but that proved to be their final run of the night. In the bottom half of the frame the AirHogs added three insurance runs. After a lead off single from Brandon Carter, Chad Gabriel and Derek Nicholson both walked to load the bases. Cesar Nicolas then singled in two to get a league leading 30th RBI and give the AirHogs a 7-4 lead. Mike Conroy then added another run by singling up the middle to score Nicholson.

The AirHogs were given a much needed dominant start from their starting pitcher Mike Green who went six and two thirds innings allowing only five hits, three runs, one walk, and striking out eight. Green also had a stretch of four hit-less innings from the second to the fifth.

Pelican starter Randy Beam didn’t fare as well lasting only four and two thirds innings, allowing ten hits, and giving up four runs.

The Grand Prairie AirHogs will play the El Paso Diablos in a four game series, starting tomorrow night at QuikTrip Park. Tomorrow night will feature “Youth Baseball Night” with gates opening at 6 p.m. and a game time of 7:05 p.m. For Tickets, call 972.504.9383 or visit www.airhogsbaseball.com.