CarL1 Myrtle Beach Pelicans

"Jairo Ball" Leads Pelicans Past Nationals

Published on July 3, 2007 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release


WOODBRIDGE, VA - Jairo Cuevas allowed just one single while tying a season-high with nine strikeouts, winning his fifth straight decision as Myrtle Beach defeated Potomac 9-6 before 1,178 fans at Pfitzner Stadium Tuesday night. The Birds improved to 8-5 in the second half and 38-44 overall, while the P-Nats fell to 5-8 and 34-47.

Myrtle Beach never trailed in the game, taking a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Jose Camarena was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Jordan Schafer collected an RBI single in the second to make it 2-0, and the Pelicans then broke the game open with back-to-back three-run rallies in the fourth and fifth innings. J.D. Roberts led off the fourth with a single and Derrick Arnold followed with an RBI triple to left-center to make it 3-0. Schafer then hit an RBI triple of his own and scored later in the inning on a wild pitch by Nationals starter Craig Stammen to make it 5-0. In the fifth Schafer had an RBI single and Elvis Andrus extended his career-high hitting streak to 13 games with a two-run base hit as Myrtle Beach extended the advantage to 8-0.

Potomac did put a scare into the Birds once Cuevas departed, as newly reacquired reliever Tyler Bullock struggled with his command in the bottom of the seventh. Brian Peacock led off with a drive to deep left field that a swirling wind pushed out of Arnold's reach for a double, and after Bullock struck out Edgardo Baez a single and a walk loaded the bases with one away. Bullock walked two of the next three hitters to force in a pair of runs however, and left-hander Kevin Gunderson allowed two of the inherited runners to score as Chris Marrero walked and Brandon Powell reached on an infield single to cut the Pelicans advantage to 8-4. With Peacock at the plate as the potential tying run however, Gunderson induced a ground ball to third and Eric Campbell handled a tricky hop to get the force out at second to end the inning.

Isaiah Ka'aihue brought the momentum back to Myrtle Beach's side with a towering solo home run leading off the eighth, his league-leading 18th of the year but the Nationals weren't done. Marrero socked a two-run homer the opposite way to right field in the bottom of the ninth off Kris Medlen to cut the lead to 9-6, and then with a runner on and one away Peacock hit a drive just to the right of dead center field that Matt Young tacked down on the run and then hung on to while slamming into the wall. Medlen then got Baez on a fielder's choice for the final out.

Cuevas (5-8) pushed his unbeaten streak to six straight starts with six phenomenal innings, allowing only the fourth-inning single to Powell. Cuevas also worked around five walks (tying a season-high) but also had the nine strikeouts. Stammen (5-5) didn't make it out of the fourth, allowing five runs and seven hits in three-plus innings. He walked four and struck out four. Schafer led the offense with a four-hit night, finishing just a home run shy of the cycle while driving in three runs and scoring twice. In the bottom third of the order Roberto Alvarez, Roberts and Arnold all had two hits.

Game two in this three-game series is set for 6:35 p.m. Wednesday as Tommy Hanson makes his Carolina League debut for Myrtle Beach against former Baylor University left-hander Cory van Allen (0-2, 8.36 ERA). The game broadcast begins at 6:15 p.m. with the RSC Equipment Rental pre-game show on ESPN Radio the Team (93.7 FM, 93.9 FM, and 1050 AM) and online at www.myrtlebeachpelicans.com. For more information, please call the Pelicans at (843) 918-6002.

Check out the Myrtle Beach Pelicans Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Carolina League Stories from July 3, 2007


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central