CarL1 Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Fisher drives home all three in Pelicans' victory

July 4, 2009 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release


MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - Pelicans fans came in droves to see baseball and a postgame fireworks show on Independence Day, and they were treated to one of the most exciting games of 2009 at BB&T Coastal Field in the interim.

For the third time in 11 games, the Pelicans came back for a victory while trailing after the seventh inning, something they had only done once in their previous 66 games, this time earning a 3-2 win over the Salem Red Sox in front of 5,681 spectators, many decked out in red, white and blue.

Following two nights in which one offense broke out on either side, pitching stole the show early in game three of the four-game series. Starters Kyle Weiland for Salem and David Francis for Myrtle Beach dueled through six. The Pelicans finally got to Weiland, plating the game's first run in the right-hander's final inning. It was in the sixth that Gerry Rodriguez walked with two outs, went to second on a Robert Marcial single and scored on a base hit by Michael Fisher.

The 1-0 lead didn't stand for the Birds. Francis departed following a one-out walk issued to Tim Federowicz in the seventh, and reliever Benino Pruneda was unable to get out of the jam, allowing singles to David Mailman and Jason Place and walking Kris Negron and Che-Hsuan Lin. Federowicz scored on Lin's bases-loaded walk, and Mailman came home on Place's single to give Salem its first-and only-lead of the night. Pruneda (1-1) was charged with a blown save, but his offense picked him up in the end.

Down 2-1, the Pelicans donned their rally caps in the ninth on a night when they already sported special stars-and-stripes patriotic jerseys. Again, their production would come from the bottom third in the order with Rodriguez singling with one out to get things started. The Pelicans' first baseman went to third on a perfectly executed hit-and-run single by Marcial who went to second on the throw trying to nab Rodriguez at third. With both men in scoring position, Fisher fisted a Jason Rice (1-3) offering into shallow center field. Rodriguez scored, and Marcial slid in under the tag of Federowicz. The Pelicans' veteran shortstop leapt to his feat at the signal of home plate umpire Mike Goebel, pounding his chest with his fist and screaming in jubilation. Fisher, Myrtle Beach's nine-hitter on the night, drove home all three Myrtle Beach runs in the victory.

Salem made things interesting in the ninth with leadoff hitter Mailman reaching on a double to left field that hit off the glove of Pelicans left fielder Cody Johnson. Yet Myrtle Beach reliever Craig Kimbrel (S, 2), who hit 98 miles an hour with his first pitch of the night, rebounded to blow away pinch hitter Zach Borowiak and Kris Negron before getting Che-Hsuan Lin to ground out to short to end it.

Pelicans fans can experience another Fourth of July weekend fireworks display with tomorrow night's series finale between the Birds and Sox. Myrtle Beach welcomes the Potomac Nationals for three games next week as well. Tickets are available at the BB&T Coastal Field box office, by calling the Pelicans at (843) 918-6000 or by visiting the Tickets page at MyrtleBeachPelicans.com.

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Carolina League Stories from July 4, 2009


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