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Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Paul Blackburn Twirls Seven Scoreless Frames In Win

July 31, 2015 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release


FREDERICK, MD - Paul Blackburn earned his first win since returning from the disabled list, as the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, picked up their sixth straight win in a 2-1 game on Friday night at Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium. Blackburn tossed seven scoreless innings, and Victor Caratini drove in both runs to lead the offense.

The Pelicans (62-43, 21-15 second half) struck first with an unearned marker in the fourth off of Frederick starter Mitch Horacek. Chensy Young reached on a ground ball to third and an error by third baseman Tanner Witt. Young moved up to second on a wild pitch and came home on an RBI single by Victor Caratini.

Young and Caratini would team up again in the sixth. Young laced a double to left, and Caratini brought him in again on a hit to left field to make it 2-0.

Blackburn scattered baserunners all night, as the Keys (49-57, 17-19 second half) failed to bring in a run in the first seven innings. The Pelicans right-hander induced three groundball double plays in his seven innings, and two of them ended innings. The Keys had at least one hit in five of the seven innings he worked and had a runner thrown out at home plate.

En route to his first win since coming off the disabled list, Blackburn (5-4) fired seven shutout frames, allowing seven hits and two walks. He struck out three and also hit a batter.

He turned a 2-0 lead over to Josh Conway, who entered Friday's ballgame with an active 14 1/3 scoreless streak, the longest by a Pelicans reliever this season. After allowing a leadoff single, Conway fanned Josh Hart and Witt, but Chance Sisco singled to keep the inning alive, and before Conway struck out Jeff Kemp, two wild pitches allowed a run across.

That was all the Keys would get, however, as Jasvir Rakkar nailed down his thirteenth save with a clean ninth inning.

Horacek was saddled with the loss, his league-leading twelfth. He allowed two runs, one earned, in six innings, surrendering four hits and two walks. He fanned five.

The Pelicans have won six games in a row but have not gained any ground in the second half standings, as Winston-Salem has also won six straight.

The series continues on Saturday at 6:00 p.m. ET at Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium. The Pelicans turn to Brad Markey (3-0, 0.76 ERA), and Frederick puts Nick Lee (3-6, 3.38) on the hill.

The game can be heard live on 1450 WRNN-AM ESPN Myrtle Beach, on the TuneIn Radio App, and via the MiLB First Pitch App, beginning with the Pregame Show at 6:40 p.m. ET.

The Pelicans return home for a six-game homestand beginning Tuesday, August 4. The Birds open a three-game set against the Wilmington Blue Rocks before welcoming Frederick to town for a weekend series August 7-9.

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Carolina League Stories from July 31, 2015


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