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CarL Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Birds Roll to Third Victory over Salem

May 7, 2022 - Carolina League (CarL)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release


Despite sacrificing 12 hits, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans used clutch hitting to turn eight hits into nine runs and take Saturday night's game 9-6 over the Salem Red Sox. With their 13th win in their last 15 games, the Pelicans move up to 18-7 and continue to hold first place in the Carolina League, South Division standings. The Red Sox drop to 11-14 with their third loss in a row.

Saturday night saw a solid game from Kevin Alcantara (2-5, HR, 2B, 3 RBI) who hit his second home run of the season in the top of the fifth. Pete Crow Armstrong (3-5, RBI, R) led the Pelicans in hits while moving into second place alone in franchise history with his seventh consecutive multi-hit performance. Liam Spence (1-3, RBI, BB) also provided some help from the number nine spot in the lineup.

Luis Angel Rodriguez (2-0) took the win out of the bullpen with 3 2/3 innings of one-run baseball off four hits while striking out five and walking two. Myrtle Beach's starter Porter Hodge lasted 4 1/3 innings while allowing four earned runs off seven hits and four strikeouts to two walks.

Salem collected 12 hits for the game but left 10 on base in the fourth game of the series. Yorberto Mejicano (1-3, HR, 2 RBI, BB) led the home team with a solo home run in the fifth. Blaze Jordan (1-3, 2 RBI, BB) also brought in a pair of runs while Eduardo Vaughan (3-4, R) hit three singles to pace the Red Sox for the game.

Gabriel Jackson (0-3) took the loss after throwing the first four innings and surrendering three runs, two earned off three hits. Jackson struck out six while walking only one in his outing. Three bullpen arms would give up the following six runs off five hits.

Salem took an early lead with a run in the bottom of the first. Miguel Ugueto worked a walk with two outs and came home to score on a double by Niko Kavadas to center field that was misplayed by Crow-Armstrong. Kavadas got to third on the fielding error as the Red Sox took a 1-0 lead.

After a quiet three frames, the Pelicans took command with a six-run fifth inning. BJ Murray Jr. led off with a single into right field to lead off. Reginald Preciado reached on a ground ball to second as Brainer Bonaci threw wild to try and force out Murray for a throwing error. Spence worked a walk to load the bases. After Felix Cepeda replaced Jackson on the mound, Crow-Armstrong smacked a single to right to score Murray and keep the bases loaded. James Triantos followed by grounding into a force out at third as Preciado came in to put Myrtle Beach up 2-1. With runners on first and second, Crow-Armstrong stole third and came home on a wild pitch by Cepeda. Cole Roederer walked to put two runners on base. Alcantara followed with a home run off the left-center field scoreboard to close out the inning and extend the Pelicans' lead to 6-1.

The Red Sox responded quickly with Vaughan leading off the bottom half with a single. Mejicano followed with a two-run homer to left-center field to cut the lead down to two. Eddinson Paulino walked and Bonaci singled to put two runners on following the homer. After Ugueto popped up for the first out as Hodge was replaced by Rodriguez. Kavadas walked to load the bases and Jordan followed with a sacrifice fly to center to score Paulino and make it a 6-4 Birds lead.

Myrtle Beach got one back in the top of the seventh as Triantos was hit by a pitch and Roederer walked with one out. After Alcantara flew out, Triantos and Roederer both moved up a base with a double steal. New pitcher Jhonny Felix threw a wild pitch to score Triantos and extend the Pelicans' lead to 7-4.

Salem matched with one run in the bottom of the seventh. Bonaci doubled to center field with one out and got to third on a single from Ugueto to put runners on the corners. After Kavadas struck out on a 2-2 pitch, Jordan rolled a single up the middle to score Bonaci and cut the lead down to two once again.

The final damage was done by the Pelicans in the top of the eighth. Hearn and Murray were both hit by pitches from Nate Tellier to begin the frame. Tellier threw Salem's fourth wild pitch of the game to move both runners up, and Hearn came in on Preciado's sacrifice fly to right field. With Murray now on third, Spence knocked him home with a line drive to center to make it a 9-5 Pelicans lead.

The Red Sox grabbed a final run in a long ninth inning. Jake Reindl gave up a double to Ugueto and walked Kavadas and Jordan to load the bases with one out. Eduardo Lopez flew out to deep center field to score Ugueto for the second out. With the tying run at the plate, Tyler Miller struck out to end the game with a 9-6 final.

Sunday will see a doubleheader to close out the week. The first game will start at 2:30 p.m. with game two following 30 minutes after the conclusion of game one.

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Carolina League Stories from May 7, 2022


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