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CarL1 Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Five Is The Magic Number For Pelicans

April 19, 2011 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release


MYRTLE BEACH, SC - No matter the score, you just can't count out the Myrtle Beach Pelicans. Thanks to a wacky five-run eighth inning, the Pelicans pulled out a 7-4 comeback victory over the Winston-Salem Dash to notch their fifth straight win.

Trailing 4-2 going into the bottom of the eighth against Dash closer Tyson Corley, the Pelicans started a rally and got some help from the Winston-Salem defense. After Mike Olt singled, Jared Hoying hit a grounder to second that might have been a double play, but Dan Wagner botched dropped the ball and both runners were safe.

Jared Prince walked to load the bases and then Wagner made another error on a Zach Zaneski ground ball as the Birds cut the lead to one. Santiago Chirino grounded out to tie the game and the Pelicans took the lead on the next play when Travis Adair dragged a bunt single to the mound to score Prince. Corley tried to get the runner at the plate, but threw the ball away for the visitors' third error of the inning.

Ryan Strausborger and Leury Garcia drove in insurance runs to finish the five-run frame, none of those tallies against Corley (0-1) were earned. Tyler Tufts worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his third save, ending the game with two strikeouts.

Johan Yan (1-0) pitched one and two-thirds inning without allowing a run to get his first win of the season.

The Birds got on the board first in the third with the first hits of the game by either team. Santiago Chirino singled with one out and Travis Adair singled him to third before Ryan Strausborger beat out a double play grounder to put Myrtle Beach up 1-0.

Myrtle Beach starter Ryan Kelly filled in admirably in his first start of the season, facing the minimum through three innings, but things fell apart in the fourth when he allowed all three of his runs and all four of his hits. The righty walked one and struck out three.

That big inning for the Dash started with a Dan Wagner double. Jose Martinez singled him to third and then a Kelly wild pitch tied the game at one. Jared Mitchell followed with a long double to right center to give the Dash lead and Andy Wilkins singled him home to cap the three-run rally.

The Pelicans got back in it with a run in the fourth thanks to a Chris McGuiness double and an RBI single by Jared Prince, who snapped a 2-for-34 skid to cut the lead in half. The Dash got the run right back in the sixth off reliever Chad Bell. Jared Mitchell doubled but was thrown out going for three on an incredible throw from the center fielder Strausborger. Ian Gac followed that with another long double and he scored on a Kyle Shelton single to make it 4-2.

Myrtle Beach threatened in the sixth by loading the bases with nobody out. That knocked out starter Terry Doyle, who gave up two runs in five-plus innings, scattering ten hits with four strikeouts and no walks. Reliever Ryan Kussmall struck out Prince and Zaneski, then got Chirino on a groundout to escape the jam.

The Birds' offense slashed 14 hits as six of the nine men in the lineup registered two apiece. The Pelicans raised their league-leading team batting average to .278, nine points ahead of the Salem Red Sox, who hold a half-game Southern Division lead over the Birds.

The series finale is Wednesday night at BB&T Coastal Field, featuring a terrific pitching matchup between Winston-Salem right-hander Andre Rienzo and Pelicans lefty Robbie Erlin. The Pelicans will go for their sixth straight win and second consecutive series sweep, first pitch 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 April 19, 2011


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