CarL1 Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Myrtle Beach Pelicans Game Notes: April 27 vs. Salem

April 27, 2019 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release


Today, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans take on the Salem Red Sox (a Boston Red Sox affiliate) with first pitch at 6:05 p.m. In the second game of the three-game set, RHP Javier Assad (0-2, 2.77 ERA) makes his fourth start for the Birds against RHP Kutter Crawford (0-0, 2.00 ERA). Coverage begins at 5:50 p.m. on MyrtleBeachPelicans.com/Broadcast, TuneIn and the MiLB First Pitch app.

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BIRDS BATS AWAKEN, PITCHING FALTERS IN LOSS TO SOX

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans banged out nine hits, but fell 7-5 to the Salem Red Sox on Friday night from Haley Toyota Field. After the Sox put up three runs combined in the first two innings, Miguel Amaya put the Birds on the board in the third with a two-run homer, his fourth of the season. Yeiler Peguero then tied the game at 3-3 with an RBI double in the fourth inning. Salem scored a run in the fourth to take the lead and added on three more in the sixth. Peguero knocked in a pair more with a triple in the eighth, but it was not enough in the loss.

RUN, PELICANS, RUN

Following their two swipes on Tuesday, the Pelicans are tied for the Carolina League lead with 26 stolen bases on the year. The last time the Birds led the league in steals was their last season as a Rangers affiliate in 2014. That year, they swiped 154 bags. Zach Davis leads the way with six stolen bases while D.J. Wilson, Carlos Sepulveda and Jimmy Herron are all tied for second with four apiece. Davis' six stolen bags are third in the league, though he hit the IL on Friday.

TOUGH APRIL

With the loss on Friday, the Pelicans are now 7-15 (.318). Those 15 losses match last season's April total, when they went 9-15 (.375). The 15 losses are also the most in recorded franchise history in the first month of the year (dating back to 2005). In 2019, the Pelicans are hitting .214 with a 5.00 ERA while the 2018 Birds in April finished with a .238 batting average and a 4.81 ERA.

LEGGO MY BALEGO

Since joining the club from Short Season Low A Eugene on April 16, Cam Balego has been an offensive force. The Pittsburgh native went 0-for-3 in his debut, but since, has hit safely in nine-straight games, hitting .379 (12-for-29)/.459/.552 with 2 2B, a HR, 9 RBIs, 6 RS and 6 BB. He has scored a run or knocked one in in eight of his last nine games. A season ago, Balego just hit .233/.296/.287 with Low-A South Bend in 38 games.

ROAD SWEET ROAD

The Pelicans have played much better away from the friendly confines this season. In 14 home games, the Birds are 4-10 and only hit .199/.292/.288. On the road, while the Pelicans are still under .500 at 3-5, they are hitting .242/.333/.404 with seven out of the 11 homers they have blasted on the season.

FEELING THE PAYNE

The Pelicans backup catcher, Tyler Payne, has been swinging a hot bat for the Birds. Over his last nine games, he is hitting .313 (10-for-32)/.353/.531 with 4 2B, a HR, 3 RBIs, 3 RS and 2 BB. Before the streak started, Payne began the year 1-for-7 at the plate.

JAVY NEEDS SOME RUNS

Javier Assad takes the mound for the Birds today for his fourth start of the season. The Mexico native has been one of the most consistent starters on the season for the Birds, allowing only four runs over his 13.0 innings. In those three starts, the Pelicans have only scored a combined eight runs and are 1-2 in games that Assad takes the mound in.

BRINGING UP THE BACK END

In the Pelicans' seven wins this season, the Birds' bullpen has been the key. In wins, the bullpen has a 0.72 ERA (2 ER in 25.0 IP). On the other hand, in losses, the Pelicans' bullpen owns a 5.35 ERA (40 ER over 67.1 IP).

BIRDS ON THE POUND

On Friday, the Pelicans went 4-for-12 with runners in scoring position, a vast improvement from their prior four games. Over that stretch in which the Pelicans went 1-3, the Birds struggled with RISP. They just hit .171 (6-for-35) with a runner at second or third in those games. When Myrtle Beach won four-straight games from 4/17-4/20, they hit .278 (10-for-36) with RISP. On the year, they are hitting .238 (43-for-181) with RISP and .253 (22-for-87) with two outs and RISP.

A FAMILIAR FOE

Though the Birds and Red Sox only saw each other six times in 2018 (Myrtle Beach went 5-1), the two have played 366 games against one another. Until Down East and Buies Creek (now Fayetteville) entered the league in 2017 and shifted the divisions, Salem played in the Southern Division and were a rival of the Pelicans. Over the last two seasons, the Pelicans have only played the Red Sox 14 times, going 8-6 against them.

PELICAN POINTS

The Birds had a pair of breakout performances last night in the bottom of the order. Grant Fennell snapped an 0-for-18 to begin his season with two doubles and Yeiler Peguero doubled, tripled and tied a career best with three RBIs. They were his first runs knocked in on the season...Between Paul Richan and Ryan Kellogg on Friday, it was the first time in a nine-inning game that the Birds used just two pitchers, even though they combined to throw just eight innings.

Check out the Myrtle Beach Pelicans Statistics



Carolina League Stories from April 27, 2019


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