CarL1 Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Late Rally Falls Short for Birds in 5-2 Loss

Published on August 22, 2007 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release


WILMINGTON, DE - The Pelicans continued their season-long habit of putting themselves in a position to win in the ninth inning, but Wilmington's Arthur Santos struck out Derrick Arnold for the final out as the Blue Rocks hung on for a 5-2 win before 3,677 fans at Frawley Stadium Wednesday night. The Rocks improved to 35-21 in the second half and 65-59 overall, while the Pelicans fell to 28-30 and 58-69 and dropped two games behind Salem for the Southern Division wild card spot with 12 games left.

Reigning Carolina League Player of the Month Brian McFall opened the scoring with a solo home run down the left field line in the bottom of the second, and Myrtle Beach didn't get its first base runner against Blake Johnson until Chase Fontaine doubled with two out in the fifth. The Pelicans had an excellent scoring opportunity in the sixth as Jerry Verastegui drew a leadoff walk, Jordan Schafer collected a one-out single, and Willie Cabrera worked a two-out walk to load the bases. Johnson appeared to be laboring at that point, and Wilmington manager John Mizerock took him out with what was later revealed to be a case of back spasms. Patrick Green came out of the bullpen and gave Quentin Davis a good pitch to hit, but his sharp liner to center carried to Jose Duarte for the final out.

Wilmington broke the game open with four runs in the bottom of the sixth off of Jeff Lyman. Brad McCann started the rally with a one-out double, and McFall followed with an RBI triple. Miguel Vega's RBI double made it 3-0, and after Cody Clark flied out, Brett Bigler hit a bouncer to short, which should have ended the inning. Michael Fisher's throw to first was in the dirt and bounced away from Ivan Terrazas however, extending the inning, allowing Vega to score before Josh Johnson added an RBI single to make it 5-0 before the dust finally settled.

Schafer got the Pelicans on the board with a solo home run in the top of the eighth, and as usual Myrtle Beach refused to go quietly in the ninth. Cabrera opened the inning with a single to left, and with one away Marc Maddox booted a grounder from Terrazas to put men on the corners. Fontaine made it 5-2 as he beat out a fielder's choice to score Cabrera, and Larry Williams then reached on an infield single to bring the potential tying run to the plate. Jerry Verastegui responded with a liner to left to load the bases off Santos and get the potential go-ahead run to the plate, but the former Pelican struck out Arnold on three pitches to end the game.

Johnson (8-6) was lights-out, retiring the first 14 hitters he faced and allowing just two hits over 5.2 shutout innings. Drese (0-1) suffered the loss but continued to make strong strides in his return from Tommy John reconstructive elbow surgery, allowing only a run on six hits over four innings in his longest start of the year. Schafer picked up two hits for the second straight night to lead the Myrtle Beach offense.

The rubber-match in this three-game series is set for 7:05 p.m. Thursday, as Dustin Evans (2-8, 4.75 ERA) takes on Wilmington's Dan Cortes (5-8, 3.63 ERA). The game broadcast begins at 6:45 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. The Pelicans return to BB&T Coastal Field on Tuesday, August 28 when they kick-off their final homestand of the 2007 season. The seven-gamer to end the year will be highlighted by NASCAR night on Saturday, September 1 at 7:05 p.m. and the final post-game fireworks show of the season on Sunday, September 2 as part of Fan Appreciation Night at 6:05 p.m. On Monday, September 3 the Pelicans close out the season with their final home game of the year against their archrivals, the Kinston Indians, at 7:05 p.m.

Notes: Brandon Monk made his Pelicans debut in the ninth inning, pinch-running for Verastegui...Monk's addition to the active roster was the 93rd roster move of the year for Myrtle Beach, a new team record for transactions in a season.

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Carolina League Stories from August 22, 2007


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