CarL1 Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Garcia backs Grimm's second strong outing as Pelicans' win 4-1

Published on June 3, 2011 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release


LYNCHBURG, VA - Leury Garcia broke out of his 5-for-48 slump as only he can. His ninth-inning inside-the-park home run capped the Pelicans' 4-1 win over the Lynchburg Hillcats at City Stadium. Justin Grimm followed his strong Birds debut on Sunday with six and two-thirds innings of one-run ball, striking out the last four hitters he faced. Santiago Chirino drove in two runs in the victory.

The game was scoreless through the first three innings as Grimm was matched zero for zero by Hillcats righty Willie Kempf. Myrtle Beach broke through in the fourth when Mike Olt followed Ryan Strausborger's leadoff double with a bloop single to put the Birds up 1-0. After a Vinny DiFazio walk and Jared Prince single loaded the bases, Chirino hit a fly ball to center that was deep enough to score Olt for a sacrifice fly and 2-0 lead.

Grimm would bend but never break against Lynchburg in the middle innings. After putting the tying runs at second and third with nobody out in the fourth, the right-hander retired Barret Kleinknecht on a groundout and struck out Keenan Wiley before Braeden Schlehuber lined out to end the threat.

The Hillcats did get on the board in the fifth after a Todd Cunningham walk and back-to-back singles by former Pelicans Phil Gosselin and Adam Milligan cut the lead to 2-1. Lynchburg loaded the bases in that inning, but Grimm stranded all three runners to preserve the lead.

The Pelicans got the run right back in the sixth when Vinny DiFazio walked and stole second before Chirino laced an opposite-field single to bring home the catcher and put the Birds back up by two. That hit knocked Kempf (3-4) out of the game after he gave up three runs in five and two-thirds innings of work.

Grimm ended his night with a flourish by striking out the last two batters of the sixth and the first two of the seventh before being removed for lefty reliever Joe Ortiz. Grimm (2-0) allowed just one run on six hits in six and two-thirds innings, walking two and striking out six. After being called up to replace star southpaw Robbie Erlin, Grimm has won both of his Pelicans starts while posting a 1.42 ERA.

In the ninth, Garcia lined a Jeremy Haynes pitch deep down the left field line. Former Pelican L.V. Ware jumped for the ball and crashed into the fence hard, going down as the ball bounced back toward the infield. Garcia blazed around the bases for an inside-the-park home run to give the Pelicans a 4-1 lead. Ware was alright and played the rest of the game.

Ryan Kelly came on for the ninth and set the Hillcats down 1-2-3 to close it out for his eighth save in as many opportunities. The win allowed the Pelicans to gain a game in the standings on both Kinston and Salem, who suffered road losses in Winston-Salem and Frederick respectively. The Birds now lead the Southern Division by four and a half games over the Indians and five and a half games over the Red Sox.

The middle game of the three-game set will be tomorrow night at 6:05 p.m. as Pelicans right-hander Barret Loux (4-3, 3.75) squares off against Lynchburg southpaw Chris Masters (3-2, 3.00). The Pelicans return home for a four-game series against Winston-Salem starting Monday, June 6. 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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