Former teammates spar through five, Birds 'pen falters
August 9, 2009 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - For the first time since the June 4 trade that sent him to the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, former Pelican Jeff Locke toed the rubber at BB&T Coastal Field to face his former mates. His second win in a Lynchburg Hillcats uniform feels sweet because of it.
Locke picked up just his third win of the season-and second since departing Myrtle Beach-as the Hillcats beat the Pelicans 4-2 in front of 3,970 in the series finale of four on the Grand Strand.
With a chance to salvage a series split, the Pelicans turned to starter Cole Rohrbough who responded with a solid five-inning start, allowing just one run on three hits. Rohrbough worked around four walks, matching them with four strikeouts, and departed after the fifth in a 1-1 tie. The Pelicans produced their first run in the bottom of the fourth against Locke with back-to-back singles by Cole Miles and Michael Fisher aided by a wild pitch moving the pair to second and third. Cody Johnson's RBI groundout gave the Pelicans a 1-0 lead that was erased in the top of the fifth on a solo homer by Lynchburg's Josh Harrison.
The Hillcats surged into the lead with two runs off Pelicans reliever Benino Pruneda in the sixth. After getting two quick outs to open the inning, Pruneda (1-2) surrendered three consecutive extra-base hits, doubles for Erik Huber and Eric Fryer and then a triple by Jose De Los Santos. Lynchburg added an insurance run against Myrtle Beach's Lee Hyde in the seventh.
Locke worked into the sixth, putting himself in line for the win, allowing just one Pelicans run on six hits. Acquired by the Pirates in the June deal that sent big league All-Star outfielder Nate McLouth to Atlanta, Locke (3-8) struck out five without issuing a walk and picked up his first victory since June 19. He took the loss with Rohrbough getting the win in his only other start against the Pelicans in Lynchburg on June 25. Harrison Bishop surrendered one Pelicans run in the seventh on back-to-back doubles by Jesus Sucre and Chris Shehan, but Bishop and R.J. Rodriguez (24) closed the door in the ninth.
Following a day off Monday, the Pelicans open a crucial four-game series against the Salem Red Sox Tuesday through Thursday. Myrtle Beach and Salem open the set with a doubleheader Tuesday with first pitch scheduled for 6:05. The Pelicans currently trail the Winston-Salem Dash by three games in the Carolina League Southern Division but lead Salem by a half-game. Tickets for all Pelicans home games are available at the BB&T Coastal Field box office, by calling (843)918-6000 or by visiting the Tickets page at MyrtleBeachPelicans.com.
Carolina League Stories from August 9, 2009
- Former teammates spar through five, Birds 'pen falters - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Rocks Alone in First After a 5-1 Road Trip - Wilmington Blue Rocks
- Keys Open Early Lead, Cruise Past Dash in Finale - Winston-Salem Dash
- Waring, Widlansky and Crancer Homer in 9-2 Win - Frederick Keys
- Kinston Sweeps Salem, Wins Sixth Straight - Kinston Indians
- Price defeats old team as Indians sweep Red Sox - Salem Red Sox
- Late rally falls short as Nats drop finale - Potomac Nationals
- Hillcats Game Notes for August 9 - Lynchburg Hillcats
- Red Sox Game Notes for August 9 - Salem Red Sox
- Blue Rocks Game Notes for August 9 - Wilmington Blue Rocks
- P-Nats Game Notes for August 9 - Potomac Nationals
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