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CarL1 Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Loux, Strausborger Help Birds Retake First

May 25, 2011 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release


MYRTLE BEACH, SC - It's never easy against the Salem Red Sox, but Barret Loux's six shutout innings, Ryan Strausborger's two-run homer and Ryan Kelly's Houdini act in relief helped the Pelicans finish off a 3-2 win on Wednesday at BB&T Coastal Field. The victory evens the three-game set at one apiece and gives the Birds sole possession of first place in the Southern Division.

Loux (4-3) turned in another great start, allowing just three singles in six scoreless frames. He worked out of a first-and-third jam in the first, but the Red Sox never really threatened against the right-hander after that. The former Texas A&M Aggie walked two and struck out five. His last outing was terrific as well in a win in Winston-Salem last Thursday, the last Pelicans win before tonight.

Ryan Strausborger picked up the Birds' struggling offense early. He belted a two-run shot deep to left, his fifth homer of the year, in the first off Salem starter Drake Britton to put Myrtle Beach on the board 2-0.

That score held into the seventh, when Trevor Hurley replaced Loux and gave up a leadoff home run to Reynaldo Rodriguez that cut the lead to 2-1.

The Pelicans built a vital insurance run in the seventh. Mitch Hilligoss singled off Salem reliever Mitch Herold, stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch. Leury Garcia then beat out a grounder to short for an RBI infield single to snap an 0-for-20 skid and put the home team up 3-1.

The Red Sox battled right back in the eighth against Hurley. Michael Almanzar singled and after Derrik Gibson walked, Joe Ortiz was summoned from the bullpen. The lefty got Peter Hissey to fly out, but Kolbrin Vitek singled to bring in Almanzar and make it 3-2. David Paisano seemingly had an outfield assist to get the trail runner at third during that play, but umpire Asa Gaddy ruled Gibson safe at third as Vitek went to second on the throw.

With Salem set up with the tying run at third and the go-ahead run at second with only one out, Ryan Kelly came in for Ortiz and struck out Dan Butler before inducing a Rodriguez fly out to preserve the lead. The Hilton Head right-hander ran into trouble in the ninth with two out. Zach Gentile singled and after pinch-runner Wilfred Pichardo stole second, he went to third on catcher Zach Zaneski's errant throw to put the tying run 90 feet away. Kelly buckled down as he got Almanzar to fly out to center to end the game and record his fifth save.

Britton (1-5) took the loss for Salem, allowing two runs on two hits in four innings of work. Herold allowed one run in three innings behind him and Kendal Volz worked an impressive 1-2-3 ninth for the Red Sox.

At 26-19, the Pelicans are a game ahead of the 24-19 Red Sox in the Carolina League's Southern Division. Myrtle Beach will need a win tomorrow night to take two out of three from their rivals and stay alone in first place.

The series concludes Thursday night at BB&T Coastal Field with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Lefty Robbie Ross goes for the Pelicans against Salem right-hander Chris Balcom-Miller. After Salem goes home, the Pelicans will host the Northern Division-leading Wilmington Blue Rocks for a weekend set starting Friday. 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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