CarL1 Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Birds' Hopes Dashed in Opener

Published on June 6, 2011 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release


MYRTLE BEACH, SC - In one of the most bitter losses for the Pelicans this season, Jason Bour beat out a double play relay to bring home the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth and Ryan Strausborger made the final out with the tying run at second after a 13-pitch at bat in the bottom of the ninth as the Winston-Salem Dash beat the Pelicans 3-2 at BB&T Coastal Field on Monday.

After dropping their last eight games in Myrtle Beach, the Dash scraped a run together to break a 2-2 tie in the top half of the ninth. Joe Ortiz (3-2) walked Ian Gac to start the frame and pinch-runner Kyle Colligan went to second on an Andy Wilkins bunt before Nick Ciolli singled him to third.

Right-hander Johan Yan was called in from the bullpen to face righty catcher Jason Bour with runners at the corners and one out. Bour bounced a grounder to third and Pelicans were not able to go around the horn for the double play, as Colligan came in to give the Dash a 3-2 lead.

The Pelicans had many scoring chances throughout the game, including the ninth inning when Leury Garcia led off with a bunt single. For the second straight inning, the Birds could not get a bunt down as Jared Hoying popped out to third for the first out. Garcia got himself into scoring position by stealing second, but Addison Reed (2-0) struck out Jared Bolden for the second out, setting up an epic battle with Strausborger.

Already with two hits for the fourth straight game, the center fielder took two strikes before fouling off three pitches. He took two out of the zone before fouling off five 2-2 offerings from Reed. On the 13th pitch of the showdown, Strausborger lifted a lazy fly to rightfielder Jose Martinez, who squeezed it for the final out.

The evening began with an unexpected pitchers duel as Wilfredo Boscan and Joe Serafin traded zeroes for most of the game. Winston-Salem broke through off Boscan for two runs in the third when Martinez doubled into the left field corner to give the Dash a 2-0 lead.

The Birds got even with a run in the third on a Strausborger single that brought home Hoying and a fourth-inning sacrifice fly from Santiago Chirino that scored Mike Olt and evened the game at two.

That score held through the middle innings as both starters went seven innings. Boscan turned in his third straight strong performance, allowing two runs on five hits, walking one and striking out four. Serafin also allowed two runs, scattering seven hits, walking one and whiffing two. Both hurlers took no decisions and it became a battle of the bullpens.

The Pelicans had their biggest opportunity in the eighth against Reed when Olt worked a leadoff walk and Zach Zaneski singled him to second. Jared Prince popped up a bunt and Chris McGuiness, in his return after more than three weeks on the disabled list, struck out for the second out. Chirino lofted a bloop single to right and Olt tried to score the go-ahead run from second base. Martinez made a great throw from right field and the catcher Bour withstood a big hit from Olt and held onto the ball to preserve the tie.

Olt left the game after the play as the Pelicans missed another scoring chance. For the night the home team left ten men on base.

The loss, coupled with Kinston's 11-1 win in Wilmington, shrunk the Pelicans' lead in the Southern Division to three and a half games with 13 to play before a first-half champion is crowned.

The second game of the four-game set is set for tomorrow night as Joe Wieland gets the start for the Pelicans against Terry Doyle of Winston-Salem. First pitch at BB&T Coastal Field is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Tickets for all Pelicans home games are available at the BB&T Coastal Field box office, MyrtleBeachPelicans.com, and by phone at 843-918-6000 or 877-918-TIXX.

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Carolina League Stories from June 6, 2011


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