CarL1 Myrtle Beach Pelicans

McKinney, Skulina Star in Pelicans' Third Straight Win

Published on May 3, 2015 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release


LYNCHBURG, VA. (MAY 3, 2015) - Outfielder Billy McKinney posted his second career two-homer game, and Tyler Skulina struck out a career-high eight batters in six scoreless innings, as the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, beat the Lynchburg Hillcats 2-1 on Sunday at Calvin Falwell Field. McKinney provided all of the run production, and Skulina faced just two over the minimum in six frames.

McKinney's first home run came with one out in the fourth inning. To that point, Lynchburg starter Adam Plutko had faced just over the minimum, allowing a groundball single off the bat of first baseman Jacob Rogers in the second inning. On a 1-2 pitch, McKinney blasted the ball over to the right field fence to put the Pelicans on top for good.

Skulina cruised through the first four innings. He struck out two in the first, one in the second, two more in the third, and fanned his sixth in the fourth inning. He matched a career-high with his seventh strikeout for the second out of the fifth inning. The next hitter, Eric Haase singled on the infield on a ball to deep third base, just beating the throw from Jeimer Candelario. Skulina then walked Paul Hendrix. He didn't allow another baserunner and notched his career-high-setting eighth strikeout to finish his day for the final out of the sixth.

Leading off the seventh, McKinney cranked out his second homer, another solo shot to right field off of Plutko. The two-homer game was the 20-year-old's second of his career and first as a Cubs farmhand. He last hit two homers in a game playing for Oakland's Class-A Advanced affiliate, the Stockton Ports last April.

Lynchburg (9-14) made it close in the ninth. Ben Wells, who had tossed a scoreless seventh and a perfect eighth, hit Clint Frazier and walked Bradley Zimmer with out in the ninth. Myrtle Beach (13-9) then turned to James Pugliese.

The new right-hander surrendered a single to Nellie Rodriguez to load the bases. He then induced a shallow flyout to right field off the bat of Luigi Rodriguez for the second out, but then hit Haase to bring across the first run and make it 2-1. Hendrix, however, then hit into a groundout to shortstop, when Carlos Penalver made a spinning throw to first from the outfield grass in shallow center for the final out.

Pugliese (1) notched the save, helping Skulina (1-2) to his first win. Plutko (1-2) suffered the defeat.

The Pelicans can sweep the Hillcats in the four-game series with a win on Monday night. First pitch from Calvin Falwell Field for the road trip and series finale is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Jen-Ho Tseng (1-0, 3.86 ERA) makes the start, while the Hillcats counter with spot-starter Clayton Cook (1-0, 2.70 ERA), making his first start of the year.

The game can be heard live, presented by Courtyard Myrtle Beach at Barefoot Landing, on 1450 WRNN-AM ESPN Myrtle Beach, on the TuneIn Radio App, and via the MiLB First Pitch App, beginning with the Pregame Show at 6:10 p.m. ET.

The Pelicans are back home on Tuesday, May 6 when they open a three-day, four-game series with the Salem Red Sox.

The 2015 season marks the 17th season for the Pelicans franchise and first as the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. For information on tickets to see the Pelicans in 2015, please call (843) 918-6000, e-mail info@myrtlebeachpelicans.com, or visit www.MyrtleBeachPelicans.com.

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Carolina League Stories from May 3, 2015


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