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CarL1 Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Myrtle Beach Pelicans Game Notes: July 31 vs. Frederick

July 31, 2019 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release


Today, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans continue a three-game set against the Frederick Keys (a Baltimore Orioles affiliate) with the middle game beginning at 7:05 p.m. This evening, RHP Alexander Vargas (2-2, 4.25 ERA) starts for the Birds against RHP Blaine Knight (0-8, 5.91 ERA). Coverage begins at 6:50 p.m. on MyrtleBeachPelicans.com/Broadcast, TuneIn and the MiLB First Pitch app.

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PELICANS FALL TO KEYS IN NINTH INNING

The Frederick Keys scored three times in the ninth inning to drop the Myrtle Beach Pelicans 3-1 on Tuesday night from TicketReturn.Com Field at Pelicans Ballpark. Tied at 0-0 into the ninth, Jomar Reyes singled in the go-ahead run before Robert Neustrom blasted a two-run homer to make it 3-0. Wladimir Galindo chipped in with an RBI single in the bottom of the ninth, but the Pelicans left the bases loaded. In his start, Jack Patterson was brilliant, striking out a career-high nine batters over five shutout innings. Enrique De Los Rios tossed a pair of scoreless innings out of the Pelicans bullpen in the loss.

GENTLEMEN, START YOUR ENGINES

The Pelicans have seen a lot of first-inning scoring over their last few games. There has been a first-inning run by the Birds or their opponent in seven of their last 11 games, for a total of 15 runs. Out of those 15 runs, 10 came over the three games in Salem. Myrtle Beach scored four first-inning tallies in the three game series and Salem put up six. Over 106 games, the Birds have scored 50 runs in the first inning and allowed 73 (a combined total of 1.2 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.

JACK OF ONE TRADE, BUT HE'S PRETTY GOOD AT IT

Jack Patterson, has been brilliant on the hill for Cubs system this season. Overall, counting his time in Low-A South Bend and Myrtle Beach, he is 7-1 with a 1.50 ERA over 21 appearances, six starts. In 66.0 innings, he has held opponents to a .164 batting average. Patterson has not allowed an earned run since June 12, spanning 34 innings between Myrtle Beach and South Bend. The lefty was named the Minor League Pitcher of the Month for the Cubs in June and he has a good shot at the award in July, having gone 2-0 in five starts with a 0.00 ERA over 23.2 innings while only allowing eight hits (.104 batting average against) and striking out 24 to eight walks.

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 eighth in average (.238), fourth in runs per game (4.1), sixth in OPS (.683) and third in home runs (25). 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 (3.51) and third in WHIP (1.19).

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 .390 (16-for-41)/.457/.488 with four doubles, seven RBIs, five walks and seven runs scored over his last 12 games. Over that span, he raised his average from .215 to .247 and his OPS from .622 to .680. The former undrafted free agent is hitting .308/.386/.423 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 .496 OPS at home.

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 .276 with an .841 OPS in 37 games. Entering Wednesday, the third baseman is riding a 12-game on-base streak. During that stretch, he is hitting .278/.469/.333 (.802 OPS). He has walked 11 times in the 12 games while striking out just six times.

PELICAN POINTS

The Pelicans were held to just one run in their loss to the Keys on Tuesday. It was one of just five times in which the Pelicans were held to one or no runs in the month of July so far. In July, the Birds are averaging 3.9 runs per game and they have their highest batting average (.243) and OPS (.682) of a single month this season...When tied after eight innings of play, following their loss on Tuesday, Myrtle Beach is now 0-10 in those contests. That includes an 0-8 mark at home. In addition, the Birds are just 3-14 in games decided in the final at-bat with a 1-9 record at home in those games.

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