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CarL1 Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Indians Hold off Pelicans Late for Split

April 24, 2011 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release


KINSTON, N.C. - Tyler Holt homered and scored twice, spot starter Brett Brach turned in five solid innings, and the Kinston Indians salvaged a series split with the Pelicans by way of a 3-2 Sunday afternoon win at Grainger Stadium.

A series that had been marked by offensive surges on each side, especially Myrtle Beach's with 21 combined runs between two Friday and Saturday routs, culminated in a finale marked by pitching and defense. Each team scored in the first with the Pelicans taking a brief 1-0 lead on a Mike Olt RBI double in the top of the opening inning before Kinston responded to knot the affair in the bottom half on Holt's solo leadoff home run. Holt's bomb was Kinston's first since April 13 and just the Tribe's fifth of the season, the fewest in the Carolina League.

Kinston took the game over in the bottom of the third inning with a pair of odd runs. With Roberto Perez aboard at third, Holt at first, and one out, the latter runner broke for second base. Pelicans catcher Vinny DiFazio's throw to second escaped to center field and allowed Perez to score from third base. Holt then stole third and came home with two outs when, after Abner Abreu swung and missed at strike three for what would have ended the threat, Myrtle Beach starter Ryan Kelly's outside breaking ball got past DiFazio. The catcher's throw to first was late to get Abreu, and Holt cruised in from third to make it a 3-1 lead on the wild pitch.

Both starters Brach and Kelly worked five innings. The Pelicans right-hander, in the spot in the rotation formerly occupied by Opening Day starter Neil Ramirez, earned all three Kinston runs on three hits. Kelly (0-1) struck out five and walked one. Brach (1-0) allowed one more hit and two more walks than his counterpart but also whiffed five and only allowed a single tally.

Trying to claw their way back in, the Pelicans got a run on a one-out RBI triple by Leury Garcia scoring Ryan Strausborger in the seventh. With the speedster Garcia 90 feet away from bring home the game-tying tally, however, the Pelicans were unable to convert. Kinston relievers Marty Popham, Tyler Sturdevant, and Preston Guilmet (S, 1) combined to retire the final eight Myrtle Beach hitters in order to close out the Indians' 3-2 win.

On Monday, the Pelicans return home for their first multi-series homestand of 2011 at BB&T Coastal Field hosting the Potomac Nationals and Frederick Keys for seven games in Myrtle Beach. The Birds will send lefty Robbie Erlin (1-0, 4.20) against Potomac right-hander Paul Demny (0-1, 4.66) for Monday night's series opener at 7:05 p.m.

Tickets for all Pelicans home games can be purchased by visiting the BB&T Coastal Field Box office, the Tickets page at MyrtleBeachPelicans.com, or by calling (843)918-6000 or (877)918-TIXX.

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