CarL1 Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Bats Stay Quiet, Lynchburg Takes Series

Published on July 4, 2011 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release


LYNCHBURG, VA - Former Pelicans starting pitcher Zeke Spruill earned his second nine-inning complete-game win of the season, dominating Myrtle Beach after allowing an opening-inning tally en route to a 4-1 Independence Day victory for the Lynchburg Hillcats to set up a shot at a series sweep over the Pelicans in Lynchburg.

When Spruill was named to the Pelicans' 2010 Opening Day roster, he was one of the top pitching prospects in the Atlanta Braves' system. Unfortunately for both the right-hander and Myrtle Beach, last season was not the big step forward many projected for Spruill after an early-season broken hand derailed his campaign and pointed him toward another campaign in the Carolina League. This year, though, while repeating Advanced A, the righty is getting things figured out. Going into the Fourth as the Carolina League's leader in innings pitched, Spruill's command had been his best asset this year with 76 strikeouts to 15 walks through his first 16 starts. It momentarily betrayed him when the former second-rounder walked Leury Garcia to lead off the night two batters before Travis Adair's RBI single gave the Pelicans their first lead of the series at 1-0.

It wouldn't last long, and it wouldn't be seen again. Three pitches into the bottom of the first inning, Lynchburg had a triple and an RBI single from Marcus Lemon and Andrelton Simmons respectively to tie the game at one. The Hillcats didn't look back from there. Though they left a runner on in the first and second, Lynchburg took the lead for good in the third following Lemon's leadoff double with a sacrifice fly from another former Pelican in Phil Gosselin to go up 2-1. The Hillcats added runs in the sixth and seventh to make it 4-1, and the Pelicans could never break through.

Myrtle Beach left runners in scoring position in four separate innings against Spruill including men at third base in the third, fourth, and seventh. The walk in the first inning was the only one the right-hander issued, and throughout his nine innings, Spruill (6-7) whiffed six Pelicans hitters while scattering eight total hits. Pelicans hitters actually fared better than Lynchburg's with runners in scoring positions, two hits in nine at-bats versus Lynchburg's two in ten, but the Birds didn't touch home plate again.

Grimm (2-2), like Wilfredo Boscan a night earlier, allowed four runs over seven innings of work and turned in an overall decent effort. The righty from the University of Georgia surrendered nine hits and struck out eight versus one walk. Zach Osborne pitched a scoreless inning of relief as the only man out of Myrtle Beach's bullpen used on the night.

Following a 5-2 start to the second half, the Pelicans are now in the midst of their longest losing streak of the year having dropped five straight including the first three of this four-game road series and ten-game road trip.

The Pelicans will try to avoid the series sweep Tuesday night at Lynchburg City Stadium when they send the right-hander Barret Loux (7-3, 3.18) against Lynchburg lefty Blaine Sims (2-2, 2.76). First pitch for the finale is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Following this ten-game road trip, the Pelicans return home for the first of four with the Salem Red Sox at BB&T Coastal Field from July 13-16. Tickets for all Pelicans home games can be purchased by visiting the BB&T Coastal Field box office, the Tickets page at MyrtleBeachPelicans.com, or by calling (843)918-6000 or (877)918-TIXX.

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Carolina League Stories from July 4, 2011


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