CarL1 Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Myrtle Beach Pelicans: Game Notes, May 15 at Wilmington

Published on May 15, 2018 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release


The Myrtle Beach Pelicans begin a six-game road trip by playing the first of three contests at the Wilmington Blue Rocks in Tuesday's 6:35 p.m. contest. RHP Tyson Miller (3-3, 3.38 ERA) takes the hill for the Birds against Blue Rocks RHP Jace Vines (1-5, 7.08 ERA). Coverage begins at 6:20 p.m. on MyrtleBeachPelicans.com/Broadcast, the MiLB First Pitch app and TuneIn.

BIRDS EARN SERIES SPLIT WITH WALK-OFF WINNER

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans scored seven runs in the final two innings Sunday to walk-off over the Buies Creek Astros 8-7. The Birds scored in the second on a Jhonny Pereda solo home run. However, the Astros plated two in the fourth and four in the seventh to grab a 5-1 advantage. Myrtle Beach brought the deficit to 6-4 in the eighth inning, but Buies Creek added an insurance run in the ninth. The Pelicans' four-run ninth was capped by Vimael Machin racing home to score on a wild pitch. Tyler Alamo and Pereda each notched RBIs with two outs to set up the walk-off.

WALK THIS WAY

The Myrtle Beach offense used an incredible 12 walks to overcome a five-run deficit in Sunday's win over Buies Creek, the Pelicans' biggest comeback since rallying from five runs down against Lynchburg on April 30, 2017. The 12 walks Sunday were 50 percent more than their 2017 season-high of eight, and the club's most in a game since taking 16 free passes on September 1, 2015. Those 16 walks are tied for the most in the Carolina League since at least the 2005 season. Still, even with their patient performance on Sunday, Myrtle Beach ranks in the bottom half of the Carolina League with 210 walks.

'PEN PALS

Part of Myrtle Beach's pitching resurgence has to be credited to the bullpen, which has seen their season ERA dip from 5.12 on April 28 to 4.15 heading into play today. Over these past 15 games, Birds relievers have pitched 52.2 innings, yielding 25 runs, 16 earned, on 48 hits (8.2 H/9) for a 2.73 ERA. The Pelicans' bullpen has recorded 61 strikeouts (10.4 K/9) during this span.

THE CHICKS DON'T DIG THIS

After ranking in the top half of the Carolina League in home runs each of the past four seasons, the Pelicans have seen several fly balls come up just a short of home run territory in 2018. The club's 19 dingers this season are ninth in the circuit, and the Birds have mustered just four home runs thus far in their 13 games played in May. In fact, outside of Tyler Alamo homers on April 28, May 1, May 8 and May 12, Jhonny Pereda, who went yard on May 13, is the only Pelican to launch a roundtripper since April 28.

IN THE NIGHT, STORMY NIGHT, AWAY THEY'D FLY...

The Myrtle Beach offense has developed a distinct style of hitting. Of the highest 12 opposite field percentages on batted balls in the Carolina League, four belong to Pelicans hitters. Jhonny Pereda ranks seventh in the circuit with 39.3 percent of his batted balls being hit the other way. Vimael Machin's percentage rounds up to 39.3 for eighth and Chris Pieters 38.9 percent rate is ninth. Wladimir Galindo (12th, 37.1 percent) rounds out the top dozen. Just two Pelicans (Aramis Ademan, 13th, 50.0 percent and Connor Myers, 22nd, 46.7 percent) place in the league's top 25 in pulled ball rate.

...AND DREAM OF PEREDA, PEREDA, PEREDADISE

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the season offensively for Myrtle Beach, Jhonny Pereda leads the Pelicans in average (.311) and on-base percentage (.376). Over his last 25 starts, the native of San Sebastian, Venezuela is hitting .337/.393/.429 with a double, triple, two home runs and 23 RBIs. Pereda ranks eighth in the Carolina League in average due to a contact-oriented approach that has seen him whiff at just 8.4 percent of pitches, the 14th-lowest in the circuit. Pereda's frequent contact is often strong, as his 29.1 percent line drive rate places eighth in the league. He has sprayed his batted balls to the opposite field (39.3 percent, seventh-most in the league) and up the middle (27.0 percent) a combined 66.3 percent of the time.

ERROR 503: SERVICE UNAVAILABLE

Stunningly, Myrtle Beach has committed four errors in two of their last four games, with 11 total over that span. The Pelicans' 56 errors on the season are eight more than Lynchburg, the next-closest Carolina League team. In fact, the Birds' total is nearly triple that of Buies Creek's 22, which is the best mark in the circuit. Myrtle Beach has made a 31 errors in the 17 games since April 26, the most in all of Minor League Baseball over that span by six miscues.

PELICAN POINTS

Myrtle Beach's Sunday victory over Buies Creek earned the Birds a series split and stopped a two-set skid... Of the Pelicans' last 14 games, 10 have been decided by three runs or fewer. The club has gone 7-3 in those close contests over this span, and is 9-11 in these games over the campaign.

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