CarL1 Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Myrtle Beach Pelicans Game Notes: July 4 at Lynchburg

Published on July 4, 2019 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release


Today, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans start a three-game series against the Lynchburg Hillcats (a Cleveland Indians affiliate) with game one at 6:30 p.m. This evening, RHP Erick Leal (0-1, 5.55 ERA) starts for the Birds against LHP Juan Hillman (3-7, 3.05 ERA). Coverage begins at 6:15 p.m. on MyrtleBeachPelicans.com/Broadcast, TuneIn and the MiLB First Pitch app.

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WILSON HOMER SENDS BIRDS TO SWEEP OF MUDDIES

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans trailed 2-1 in the eighth before D.J. Wilson blasted a two-run, go-ahead home run to give them the lead for good in a 4-2 win over the Carolina Mudcats on Wednesday from TicketReturn.com Field at Pelicans Ballpark. In front of a sold out crowd of 6,599, Wilson's homer gave the Pelicans a 3-2 lead and they tacked on with an RBI single from Tyler Durna to make it 4-2. The Birds struck first in the fourth with a Miguel Amaya sacrifice fly. Carolina tied it in the sixth and took the lead in the eighth before the Birds came back in the eighth. Erich Uelmen was strong in his start, allowing just one unearned run over 5.2 innings. Garrett Kelly locked down his fourth save of the season in the win.

THE BIRDS ARE HOT!

After the Pelicans lost their first five games of the second half, the Birds have won eight of their last nine. Their five-game winning streak the first time the Pelicans had won five-straight games since May 3-8 when they won five consecutively. With a win on Tuesday, the Pelicans won three-straight series for the first time since the Birds won nine-straight games, defeating Down East, Buies Creek and Salem in series from June 1-10, 2018. The Pelicans still have not won six contests in a row since July 10-16, 2018 when they won two games against Carolina at home and swept Down East in a four-game series.

WELCOME TO THE BEACH

The Cubs had a flurry of roster moves on Tuesday, bringing two new position players to Myrtle Beach. The Birds welcome Tyler Durna and Delvin Zinn from Low-A South Bend. Durna led the Cubs with a .304 batting average and 21 doubles while owning an .824 OPS over 76 games. The first baseman was a monster in June, collecting three home runs and posting a 1.000 OPS in 25 games. Zinn hit .273/.341/.364 with 14 stolen bases for the Cubs. From April 10 through May 16, the infielder reached in 23-straight games on the offensive side. Zinn also played third, second and shortstop for South Bend, but played a majority of his games at second base. In their first two games, Durna has gone 3-for-6 with a run scored and an RBI while Zinn picked up his first hit and stolen base on Wednesday.

STRAIGHT FLEXING

After a season-long seven-game stretch without a home run, the Pelicans have hit 15 home runs in their last 15 games. Over that span, five different players have sent at least two balls out of the ballpark. D.J. Wilson has four long balls, Cam Balego has three over that span while Tyler Payne, Luke Reynolds and Aramis Ademan have two. Miguel Amaya hit a grand slam on Saturday for his first home run since May 20 and Grant Fennell crushed a solo shot on Sunday. Only Fayetteville (17) has more than the Pelicans' 15 home runs in the league since June 16. The Woodpeckers have a one-home run lead over the Birds in second-half homers (15). Balego now has eight long balls on the season. That mark is second on the team behind Kevonte Mitchell's nine.

LIGHTNING ON HIS FEET

Outfielder Zach Davis has made a name for himself on the bases in his career. Davis leads the league with 28 stolen bases. Because he has just played in 56 games, he is averaging 0.50 stolen bases per game. He has stolen two bases in the same game three times in 2019. A staple in the leadoff spot for the Pelicans, Davis has made 43 starts in the top spot in the order. The former Texas Tech Red Raider led all of the Cubs farm system with 38 stolen bases in 2018. On the offensive side, Davis has been on fire as well, hitting .393 (11-for-28) over his last seven games.

STRONG IN THE BACK END

Over the last 11 games, the Birds' bullpen has been solid. The 'pen owns an ERA of 3.24 (12 ER over 33.1 IP) over their last 11 contests. Eleven-of-the-12 runs have been allowed by reliever Brian Glowicki, including two grand slams. Garrett Kelly has been the most recent start of the 'pen, going 4-for-4 in save opportunities and owning a 2.37 ERA over his 13 appearances and throwing 10-consecutive scoreless innings.

NEVER SKIP ARM DAY

The Pelicans have dominated on the mound over their last three games, allowing just two earned runs over 27 innings. Paul Richan, Ryan Kellogg and Erich Uelmen were dominant in their starts, allowing just one earned run over 17.2 combined frames, striking out 15.

PELICAN POINTS

The Pelicans are over .500 in a half for the first time since June 13, 2018 when they were 33-32...They are in first place for the first time since 2017...The Birds are on a stretch to start July in which they play a lot of home games. To start the month, this series in Lynchburg is the only time in the first 15 games of the month in which the Pelicans play outside of Myrtle Beach. After the Birds get back from the Hill City, they begin a nine-game homestand against Down East, Potomac and Lynchburg. It is their longest homestand of the season.

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