Myrtle Beach Pelicans Game Notes: August 2 at Fayetteville
Published on August 2, 2019 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release
Today, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans finish a three-game set against the Frederick Keys (a Baltimore Orioles affiliate) with the finale beginning at 7:05 p.m. This evening, RHP Javier Assad (3-7, 3.84 ERA) starts for the Birds against LHP D.L. Hall (3-4, 3.52 ERA). Coverage begins at 6:50 p.m. on MiLB.tv, MyrtleBeachPelicans.com/Broadcast, TuneIn and the MiLB First Pitch app.
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BIRDS SWEPT BY FREDERICK BEHIND HALL'S 10 STRIKEOUTS
The Frederick Keys' D.L. Hall struck out 10 in six innings, only allowing one run in a 2-1 win over the Myrtle Beach Pelicans from TicketReturn.com Field at Pelicans Ballpark on Thursday. Hall was backed by a run in the fourth on an infield RBI single and a solo homer from Will Robertson in the fifth. Wladimir Galindo gave the Birds their first run with an RBI double in the fifth, but the Pelicans could not draw any closer. Jesus Camargo and Ryan Lawlor threw a combined three shutout innings out of the bullpen for the Birds.
THE ENGINES ARE SPUTTERING
After there had been a first-inning run by the Birds or their opponent in seven of their last 10 games, for a total of 15 runs, the Birds have not seen a lot of early scoring in their last three contests. In their last three games, the Keys and Pelicans combined for eight scoreless innings, three scoreless innings and again three scoreless frames before finding the scoreboard. This is coming off of a series in which Myrtle Beach saw 10 combined runs in the first inning over the three games in Salem. Myrtle Beach scored four first-inning tallies in the three game series and Salem put up six. Over 108 games, the Birds have scored 50 runs in the first inning and allowed 73 (a combined total of 1.1 first inning runs per game). The second inning of Pelicans games has seen 188 runs, the most of any inning, followed by 123 in the first inning.
DON'T CRY BECAUSE IT IS OVER, SMILE BECAUSE IT HAPPENED
The Chicago Cubs were busy at the trade deadline on Wednesday and there were two moves that directly impacted the Pelicans. Right-handed pitchers Alex Lange and Paul Richan were sent to Detroit in exchange for right fielder Nick Castellanos. Lange pitched with the Pelicans in 2018 and started this season in Myrtle Beach, but had been brilliant in Double-A Tennessee with a 3.92 ERA over seven starts with the Smokies. Richan was a Mid-Season All-Star in the Carolina League and went 10-5 with a 3.97 ERA over 17 starts with the Birds. The other deal that took from Myrtle Beach was outfielder Jimmy Herron, who was traded to the Colorado Rockies for International Signing Bonus Pool Allotment. Herron hit .220/.320/.336 over 92 games with the Birds.
LIGHT UP THE SKY LIKE IT'S THE FOURTH OF JULY
The Pelicans had their best month of the season in July, going 15-14. Over the month, the Pelicans produced some of their best numbers all season. Offensively, the Birds had season-highs in batting average at .243 (tied for fifth in the Carolina League), doubles with 44 (third) and OPS at .682 (sixth). On the mound, the Pelicans finished second in the Carolina League with a 2.85 ERA, by far a season-best mark in a single month. The Pelicans also finished tied for second in WHIP (1.12).
GALINDO THE GREAT
Infielder Wladimir Galindo has been productive offensively for the Pelicans recently. After going 1-for-2 with an RBI double and two walks on Thursday, Galindo is now hitting .300 over his last 15 games with a .792 OPS. Last season, Galindo hit just .216 with a .589 OPS in 114 games. In 2017 with Low-A South Bend, the Venezuelan hit .290 with a .782 OPS before a broken leg cut his season short.
SEPULVEDA AMONG THE ELITE
Pelicans second baseman Carlos Sepulveda has been one of the best defensive players in the Carolina League this season. Over 291 total chances, Sepulveda has just committed one error. Among Carolina Leaguers in any position who have played at least 60 games, Sepulveda's .997 fielding percentage leads the league. He is one of two everyday second basemen in Minor League Baseball to have committed just one error and he leads all Carolina League second basemen with 48 double plays turned. The 22-year-old missed part of 2017 and all of the 2018 season with a shoulder injury before returning to the diamond in 2019.
WOULD YOU PLEASE LEGGO MY BALEGO
Cam Balego has been a hot hitter for the Pelicans in the second half of the season. Since the break, he is hitting .278 with an .849 OPS in 38 games. Entering Wednesday, the third baseman is riding a 14-game on-base streak. During that stretch, he is hitting .268/.474/.341 (.815 OPS). He has walked 14 times in the 14 games while striking out just seven times. The 14-game on-base streak matches Jimmy Herron with the longest such streak on the season for the Birds.
PELICAN POINTS
The Birds look to turn a corner on Friday having fallen in five of their last six and nine of their last 13 games...Jeffrey Passantino, Friday's starter for the Pelicans, faces Fayetteville for the second time this season. In his first appearance, he threw three shutout innings out of the bullpen in his High-A debut with five strikeouts. After drawing six walks in Thursday's game, the Birds now lead the Carolina League with 397 walks on the season. Cam Balego leads the team and is tied for eighth in the league with 45 walks this season.
Carolina League Stories from August 2, 2019
- Artis Has Career Night, Birds Throttle Woodpeckers in Series Opener - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Taugner Turns in Quality Gem in 2-1 Road Win in Winston-Salem - Carolina Mudcats
- McClure Tosses Quality Start in 2-1 Loss on Friday - Winston-Salem Dash
- Wood Ducks Play Longball to Snap Keys Streak - Frederick Keys
- Thompson, Arias Blast Woodies Past Keys - Down East Wood Ducks
- Pelicans Dominate Woodpeckers in Series Opener - Fayetteville Woodpeckers
- Red Sox Score Six Unanswered Runs to Down Hillcats - Lynchburg Hillcats
- Cate Fans Ten as P-Nats Win Fourth Straight - Potomac Nationals
- August 2 Transactions and Game Information - Down East Wood Ducks
- Winston-Salem Dash: Game Notes (August 2 vs. Carolina) - Winston-Salem Dash
- Have a Catch with the P-Nats on Field of Dreams 30th Anniversary Night on August 10 - Potomac Nationals
- INF Luke Reynolds assigned to Myrtle Beach from Low-A South Bend - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- August 2 - Carolina Mudcats Game Information - Carolina Mudcats
- OF Tyler Frost placed on the injured list - Winston-Salem Dash
- Myrtle Beach Pelicans Game Notes: August 2 at Fayetteville - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Former Mudcat Trent Grisham Makes Major League Debut - Carolina Mudcats
- P-Nats to Celebrate Ace Ventura: Pet Detective 25th Anniversary - Potomac Nationals
- Phil Morris Celebrity Autograph Signing Cancelled Due to Film Role - Potomac Nationals
- Dash to Host Cancer Awareness Night on August 9 - Winston-Salem Dash
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