CarL1 Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Myrtle Beach Pelicans Game Notes: July 27 at Salem

Published on July 27, 2019 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release


Today, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans continue a three-game set against the Salem Red Sox (a Boston Red Sox affiliate) with the middle game beginning at 6:05 p.m. This evening, RHP Paul Richan (10-6, 3.64 ERA) starts for the Birds against LHP Jhonthan Diaz (5-6, 4.25 ERA). Coverage begins at 5:50 p.m. on MyrtleBeachPelicans.com/Broadcast, TuneIn and the MiLB First Pitch app.

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PELICANS DROP OPENER IN SALEM LATE

Pedro Castellanos ripped a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth inning for the Salem Red Sox to take down he Myrtle Beach Pelicans 6-5 on Friday from Haley Toyota Field. The Red Sox erased a 5-3 deficit in the eighth to beat the Birds. Salem found the scoreboard first in the bottom of the first inning with a three-run home run from Edgar Corcino, but the Pelicans tied it up in the third on a two-run shot by Kevonte Mitchell and a Delvin Zinn RBI single. Wladimir Galindo gave the Birds the lead in the fourth with an RBI single and Grant Fennell tacked on in the eighth with an RBI single of his own before the Red Sox mounted their comeback. Fennell, Zinn and Carlos Sepulveda all collected two-hit games in the loss.

THE RICHAN JUST GET RICHER

Today's starter, Paul Richan, has been incredible for the Pelicans all season. The Mid-Season All-Star was 6-3 with a 4.40 ERA at the break, but he has been even better in the second half, going 4-1 with a 2.27 ERA in his last five starts. In July, he is 3-1 with a 1.69 ERA over four starts and has only walked four batters over his 26.2 innings while striking out 26. Overall, his strikeout and walk numbers have improved throughout the season. After owning a 8.7 percent walk rate through his first five starts (9 BB in 23.2 IP, 103 PA), he has a 3.4 percent walk rate over his last 11 starts (9 BB over 60.1 IP, 261 PA). In his first five starts, he had a 14.5 percent strikeout rate (15 K in 23.2 IP, 103 PA) while that has increased to 25.7 percent (67 K over 60.1 IP, 261 PA) in his last 11 starts.

NEVER SKIP ARM DAY

The Pelicans have dominated on the mound over their last 24 games, allowing just 62 earned runs over 201.2 innings (2.77 ERA). That ERA ranks second in the Carolina League over the last 24 contests (in which the Pelicans are 13-11). Paul Richan, Ryan Kellogg, Erich Uelmen, Erick Leal, Jack Patterson, Javier Assad, Jeffrey Passantino and Alexander Vargas were strong in their starts, allowing just 40 earned runs collectively over 134.0 combined frames (2.69 ERA), striking out 113.

LET'S CHECK IN ON THAT IMPROVEMENT

After a tough first half in which the Pelicans finished a franchise-worst 21-46, the Pelicans have turned things around in the second half of the season. In the first half offensively, the Pelicans were ninth out of 10 teams in the Carolina League in batting average (.220), runs per game (3.6), and OPS (.635) while placing eighth in home runs (33). In the second half, the Birds are seventh in average (.237), tied for second in runs per game (4.1), sixth in OPS (.681) and third in home runs (23). From the mound, in the first half, Myrtle Beach was eighth in ERA (4.49) and WHIP (1.42) while, in the second half, they are fifth in ERA (3.45) and third in WHIP (1.20).

I CAN GRANT YOU THREE WISHES...

Grant Fennell became the first Pelican this season to collect multiple hits in four-straight games, doing so from July 17-21. In addition to that, has been hot, batting .438 (14-for-32)/.471/.563 with four doubles, six RBIs, two walks and five runs scored over his last nine games. Over that span, he raised his average from .215 to .248 and his OPS from .622 to .681. The former undrafted free agent is hitting .319/.382/.449 after the All-Star Break and has crushed the ball away from TicketReturn.Com Field at Pelicans Ballpark to the tune of a .855 OPS as opposed to a .503 OPS at home. That home OPS includes going 5-for-11 on the most recent homestand.

SEPULVEDA AMONG THE ELITE

Pelicans second baseman Carlos Sepulveda has been one of the best defensive players in the Carolina League this season. Over 281 total chances, Sepulveda has just committed one error. Among Carolina Leaguers in any position who have played at least 60 games, Sepulveda's .996 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 46 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 .286 with an .871 OPS in 33 games, but his most impressive stats have come over his last 16 games. During that stretch, he is hitting .311/.530/.467 with a double, two home runs, six RBIs and 10 runs scored. The third baseman has walked 19 times and struck out just five times in those 16 contests. He only has three strikeouts over his last 15 games as well and has walked multiple times in six different games.

PELICAN POINTS

Kevonte Mitchell hit his 11th home run of the season on Friday, matching his career best in a season that he set in 2017 with the South Bend Cubs. He is now tied for fourth in the league with his 11 long balls. That mark is also a team high in homers.

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Carolina League Stories from July 27, 2019


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