CarL1 Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Myrtle Beach Pelicans: Game Notes, June 1 vs. Down East

Published on June 1, 2018 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release


The Myrtle Beach Pelicans start a three-game series with the Down East Wood Ducks with Friday's 7:05 p.m. contest from TicketReturn.Com Field at Pelicans Ballpark. RHP Matt Swarmer (4-2, 2.38 ERA) takes the bump for the Birds against Wood Ducks RHP Walker Weickel (1-3, 4.35 ERA). Coverage begins at 6:50 p.m. on MiLB.tv, MyrtleBeachPelicans.com/Broadcast, the MiLB First Pitch app and TuneIn.

BIRDS' BID FOR SWEEP FAILS IN 3-2 LOSS

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans were denied a sweep Thursday in a 3-2 loss to the Winston-Salem Dash. A double play ground ball scored Zach Remillard to put the Dash in front 1-0 in the second. However, Myrtle Beach tied the game soon after when Wladimir Galindo doubled in Jhonny Pereda in the third. In the fifth, a two-run double by Luis Alexander Basabe gave the Dash a 3-1 lead. The score remained that way until the ninth, when Connor Myers notched an RBI double to pull the Pelicans to within 3-2. However, the Birds could not get any closer against Matt Foster, who picked up his fourth save. Jhon Romero and Wyatt Short each fired two scoreless innings out of the bullpen in the loss.

PITCH (CLOSE TO) PERFECT

On April 19, Myrtle Beach entered play with a woeful 5.85 ERA that ranked dead last in the Carolina League. The Birds had surrendered 93 runs (6.6 per game) through the first 14 contests of the season to that point. Since then, the Pelicans, who were 3-11 (.214) to start 2018, have gone 21-18 (.538) mainly behind their pitching. In their last 39 games, Myrtle Beach has yielded just 154 runs (3.9 per game). The Pelicans' 3.31 ERA during this stretch places second in the Carolina League, fifth in High-A and 20th throughout Minor League Baseball. Meanwhile, the Birds have allowed just 272 hits (T-16th in MiLB) and walked 101 batters (T-21st in MiLB) since April 19, helping Myrtle Beach to a WHIP of 1.192, the ninth-best in the minor leagues.

BEE SWARMER

One of the huge surprises in the Cubs' organization in 2018, Matt Swarmer, who starts Friday's series opener against the Wood Ducks, has enjoyed tremendous success so far this season. The right-hander ranks fifth in the Carolina League in both ERA (2.38) and WHIP (1.04). Behind those strong statistics are positive underlying numbers; among the circuit's starters, Swarmer has posted the best walk rate (1.2 BB/9) and third-best strikeout rate (10.5 K/9). Backing that up, Swarmer's 16.5 swinging strike percentage is the second-highest such mark in the league. Interestingly, when opponents do put the ball in play against the Mohnton, Pa., native, they normally do so in the air. Swarmer's fly ball rate of 45.0 percent is the 11th-highest in the circuit, with his ground ball rate of 36.7 percent placing as the 11th-lowest.

ZERO SUM GAME

Over the last eight games, Myrtle Beach has seen their starting pitching catch fire, with the club's rotation ceding just seven runs, five earned, on 33 hits in 46.0 innings for a 0.98 ERA. Pelicans starters have whiffed 45 while walking only eight during this stretch. Meanwhile the Birds' bullpen has been thriving for even longer. Over the past 31 contests dating back to April 28, Pelicans relievers have posted 2.10 ERA thanks to 37 runs, 25 earned, on 82 hits (6.9 H/9) in 107.1 innings. Myrtle Beach's relief pitchers have also whiffed 112 (9.4 K/9) over this span. The last time a member of the Birds' bullpen ceded a run was in the sixth inning of the club's game on May 27 at Carolina. Since then, Pelicans relievers have worked 16 consecutive scoreless innings.

YOUR FRIEND AND MINE

Pelicans outfielder Connor Myers struggled offensively in 2017, batting .188/.234/.245 (34 wRC+). In comparison, the Middletown, Md., native has raised his offensive game significantly this season, slashing .276/.335/.388 (100 wRC+). Myers has registered two or more hits in five of his last seven games, and his 16 multi-hit games on the season are three more than the next closest Myrtle Beach position player. Over these past seven contests, Myers is 10-for-27 (.370) with four doubles, three RBIs and one walk. Myers, who admittedly is riding a .368 BABIP, has increased his line drive rate from 17.9 percent in 2017 to 26.3 percent this year. He has also show a more discernible eye at the plate, cutting down his strikeout rate from 29.2 percent to 26.3 percent and raising his walk rate from 4.8 percent to 7.5 percent.

PELICAN POINTS

Though Myrtle Beach was denied their first sweep of the season on Thursday, the Pelicans still closed May by winning six of their final eight games to push their record to 15-14 for their first winning month of the season... P.J. Higgins has reached base in 17 of his last 19 games, going 19-for-66 (.288) with three doubles, six RBIs and 11 walks for a .390 on-base percentage over this stretch... Wladimir Galindo is on a season-high eight-game hitting streak, batting 11-for-32 (.344) with four doubles and six RBIs over this run... Tyler Alamo was placed on the 7-day disabled list on Thursday.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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