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Ernesto Mejia already looked like a power hitter. Now he's starting to hit like one.

Mejia went 3-for-4 with a homer and a career-high six RBIs on Saturday, leading the Myrtle Beach Pelicans to an 8-4 victory over the Salem Avalanche at Salem Memorial Baseball Stadium.

Signed by the Braves as a non-drafted free agent in 2002, Mejia has never hit more than seven homers in a season despite being listed at 6-foot-6 and 190 pounds. But the 22-year-old first baseman is starting to fill out and has three homers and 10 RBIs in his last four games.

"Something clicked inside of him and that's what he looked for," Pelicans manager Rocket Wheeler said. "When the light switch goes on, it's a pleasure to watch what happens."

Mejia singled in the first inning and crushed a three-run homer, his fourth of the season, in the fourth. After getting hit by a pitch in the fifth, he ripped a three-run double in the ninth.

"He's hitting them a long way, but having said that, he's not trying to hit them," Wheeler said, "They're coming by accident."

The Venezuela native was hitting just .189 on April 22 but has gone 12-for-25 with six runs scored in his last six games to raise his average to .259. He already has 19 RBIs, well on pace to top his career-best 25 for Rookie-level Danville in 2006.

"Our hitting coach, Rick Albert, has been working really hard with him," Wheeler said. "He's been telling him to go the other way. He's been staying back and he's not missing his pitch, and he's doing some damage."

Mejia has had hot stretches in the past, clubbing four homers in a three-game span from Aug. 23-25, 2007 with Class A Rome and collecting four homers in five games from July 19-25, 2005 in the Gulf Coast League. But the work he's put in and the efforts he's made to switch from the outfield to first base suggest this time might be different.

"I told him you need a day off, just kidding with him," Wheeler said. "It's finally coming together and you see a smile on his face."

Travis Jones homered for the second straight game for first-place Myrtle Beach (17-12), going 4-for-5 with two doubles, two RBIs and three runs scored to raise his batting average to .263.

Pelicans starter Ryne Reynoso (3-1) got the win after giving up four runs -- three earned --- on five hits and two walks with three strikeouts over six innings. Kevin Gunderson worked 1 1/3 perfect innings for his Carolina League-leading eighth save.

Jhon Florentino knocked in three runs for the Avalanche (13-15).

Salem reliever Joel Santo (0-1) yielded two runs on two hits and a walk with one strikeout in one inning.

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MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. -- Ernesto Mejia of the Myrtle Beach Pelicans wowed the home fans at BB&T Coastal Field on Tuesday, defeating Venezuelan countryman Pablo Sandoval in the final of Home Run Derby before the California/Carolina League All-Star Game.

After Sandoval hit two homers from the left side of the plate in the final round, the right-handed Mejia topped him with three long shots to left on only five swings. Mejia took advantage of playing in his home park, launching several bombs over the left-field bleachers.

"It feels good," the 22-year-old first baseman said. "I never imagined I could win that, and I did. It was a big surprise to me."

Participating in his first-ever derby, Mejia was taken to overtime after he and Pelicans teammate Brandon Hicks finished the first round with seven homers apiece. In the extra session, with each participant given only three outs, Mejia made quick work of Hicks, hitting four homers to Hicks' two.

"That was nice because we were joking and playing around," Mejia said. "I didn't care if I won or lost because he's my teammate."

Mejia had to withstand some jokes from Sandoval in the final. After Mejia hit his second blast to tie the San Jose Giants catcher, Sandoval yelled at him from the dugout.

"He was just saying, 'Please, don't hit no more. Stop and leave it a tie.' I said, 'No way.'"

The two Pelicans were the only competitors to have an easy time at BB&T Coastal Field, known more as a pitchers' park. Sandoval was a surprise finalist as a lefty, since it's 328 down the right-field line as opposed to 308 to left field. Also, the wind was blowing predominantly from right to left.

After a slow start, Sandoval got hot at the end of the first round to total four homers, one more than Lancaster JetHawks catcher Jon Still.

Brandon Allen (2) of the Winston-Salem Warthogs and Sean Doolittle (0) of the Stockton Ports both struggled from the left side. Doolittle wasn't the only participant to be kept in the yard as Matt Wieters of the Frederick Keys, the Carolina League home run leader with 14, also failed to hit one out.

Guests of Honor: Myrtle Beach native and Wheel of Fortune star Vanna White threw out the ceremonial first pitch after entering the stadium via helicopter.

"I always love coming back here and I'm proud to throw out the first pitch," White said from the mound, moments before she threw just a bit outside to Pelicans manager Rocket Wheeler.

Other guests of honor included former NFL Pro Bowler and Pelicans investment partner Eddie George, who was making his first visit to BB&T Coastal Field. The 1995 Heisman Trophy winner from Ohio State, who invested in the team with fellow running back Jerome Bettis, played catch on the field with his two sons and shouted out his alma mater with an "O-H ... I-O" chant before the game.

Carl Long, who broke the color barrier in the Carolina League city of Kinston in 1956, also was on hand. A member of the Negro League Hall of Fame, Long still holds the Carolina League record with 111 RBIs in his first season as a Kinston Eagle.

George and Long also threw out ceremonial pitches before the game.

The "other" Rocket: Pelicans and Carolina League manager Rocket Wheeler wasn't the only rocket in attendance. With his son, Salem Avalanche catcher Koby, playing for the Carolina League, Roger Clemens was in the house Tuesday night.

Executive grappling: Perhaps the most compelling matchup of the night was the sumo wrestling contest between Winston-Salem Warthogs general manager Ryan Manuel and Inland Empire GM Loren Foxx.

In a gripping three-round battle in the middle of the sixth inning, Manuel outlasted Foxx for the victory, perhaps foreshadowing the way the night would end for the Carolina League.