CarL1 Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Birds Split Twin Bill In Close Games With Salem

Published on May 6, 2015 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release


MYRTLE BEACH, SC - The Myrtle Beach Pelicans, Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, split a doubleheader against the Salem Red Sox at TicketReturn.Com Field at Pelicans Ballpark on Wednesday. The Sox came back to win game one 5-4 before the Pelicans held on to a 4-2 victory in the nightcap. The win preserves the Pelicans half-game lead in first place ahead of the Carolina Mudcats in the Carolina League Southern Division.

Myrtle Beach (16-10) took command in the first inning of game one with a pair of runs without the benefit of a hit. Mark Zagunis and Wes Darvill each walked to start the bottom of the first. They both moved up a base on a wild pitch, and Billy McKinney put the Pelicans on the board with a fielder's choice RBI groundout. Darvill then scored when Red Sox starting pitcher Kevin McAvoy committed his first balk of the season.

The Birds tallied twice more in the third, punctuated by a two-run double to right field by catcher Victor Caratini.

Salem (14-12) trimmed the early lead in the top of the third when centerfielder Manuel Margot knocked in a run on a sacrifice fly to the left field wall. An inning later, center fielder Cole Sturgeon drove in another run with a single up the middle, and first baseman Sam Travis chipped away with an RBI groundout in the fifth.

Starter Daury Torrez made a bid for the first Pelicans complete game of the season, but his night ended after 6 1/3 innings. The right-hander struck out six while surrendering five runs, four earned, on eight hits while walking just one.

With the Red Sox trailing 4-3 entering the seventh, shortstop Tzu-Wei Lin clubbed a ground-rule double with two on to tie it, and Travis knocked in the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly to seal the comeback win.

James Pugliese was saddled with his first blown save of the year, and Mike Adams (1-0) threw two shutout frames from the bullpen in his first win. Torrez (2-2) suffered the defeat.

Down 1-0, the Pelicans jumped on the board in the first inning of game two when Darvill crushed his first home run of the year, a solo blast on top of the home clubhouse beyond the right field wall to tie the game. McKinney followed with a single, and Jacob Rogers drove him in with an RBI double into the left-center field gap. McKinney tacked on a one-run double in the third inning as well. The top three hitters in the lineup of Zagunis, Darvill and McKinney each finished the nightcap with two hits apiece.

The reigning Carolina League Player of the Week, Travis led off the fourth inning with a solo home run to left-center. That closed the book on Pelicans right-hander Tayler Scott, who took no decision in his first start of the year. Scott issued one walk and struck out five while surrendering two runs, one earned, over his three innings on the mound.

Red Sox right-hander Joe Gunkel (1-1) took his first loss after 4 1/3 innings of work, allowing three earned runs on seven hits while striking out four. Zach Cates (1-0), who joined the Pelicans from Double-A Tennessee earlier in the day, earned the win from the bullpen. He tossed two shutout innings, allowing a walk, a hit, and striking out one. Right-hander Jasvir Rakkar pitched came on to pitch two perfect innings and collect his fourth save.

The Pelicans will wrap the series on Thursday, with the first pitch at TicketReturn.Com Field at Pelicans Ballpark scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET. Myrtle Beach will start right-hander Duane Underwood Jr. (3-0, 1.29) while Salem counters with lefty Daniel McGrath (1-1, 2.45).

Thursday night's series finale is a Thirsty Thursday, presented by Celebrations Nitelife and 96.1 FM WKZQ. Fans 21 years old and older can enjoy $1.00 Bud and Bud Lights from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. Thursday is also "Most Interesting Team in the World" Night.

The game can be heard live, presented by Courtyard Myrtle Beach at Barefoot Landing, 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 6:45 p.m. ET. The game will also air along with live streaming video on MiLB.tv (subscription required).

The 2015 season marks the 17th season for the Pelicans franchise and first as the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. For information on tickets to see the Pelicans in 2015, please call (843) 918-6000, e-mail info@myrtlebeachpelicans.com, or visit www.MyrtleBeachPelicans.com.

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Carolina League Stories from May 6, 2015


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