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Myrtle Beach Pelicans Game Notes: May 15 vs. Winston-Salem

May 15, 2019 - Carolina League (CarL) - Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release

day, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans take on the Winston-Salem Dash (a Chicago White Sox affiliate) in the third game of a four-game series with first pitch at 7:05 p.m. This evening, RHP Javier Assad (1-3, 2.70 ERA) makes his seventh start for the Birds against LHP Cristian Castillo (1-4, 4.85 ERA). Coverage begins at 6:50 p.m. on MiLB.tv, MyrtleBeachPelicans.com/Broadcast, TuneIn and the MiLB First Pitch app.

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BIRDS TAKE FIFTH HOME WIN IN A ROW, DOWN DASH

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans took down the Winston-Salem Dash 5-2 on Tuesday night from TicketReturn.Com Field at Pelicans Ballpark. Paul Richan (4-2) threw a career-high 6.2 innings, only allowing one run on seven hits while striking out seven and not walking a batter. Over his last two starts, Richan has now struck out 15 and not walked a single hitter. Cam Balego and Kevonte Mitchell contributed on the offensive side with solo homers while Zach Davis, Jimmy Herron and Miguel Amaya all also knocked in runs.

LEADING THE WAY TO CLARK AND ADDISON

In the early part of the season, the Pelicans have had a bunch of different players fill the leadoff spot in the order. Zach Davis (11 starts in the leadoff spot), Carlos Sepulveda (4), Yeiler Peguero (3), D.J. Wilson (7), Jimmy Herron (12) and Jhonny Bethencourt (2) have all hit first for the Birds this season. While Herron has the most starts at the top of the order, Bethencourt has the highest batting average (.286) out of that spot. Overall, the leadoff spot has struggled, hitting just .188 (28-for-147).

TAKE A WALK ON THE BEACH

The Pelicans have drawn their fair share of walks in 2019. Entering Tuesday's contest against the Dash, the Birds lead the Carolina League with 161 free passes. Jimmy Herron is fourth in the league with 22 walks while Miguel Amaya is fifth in the league with 21 walks. Aramis Ademan is tied for eighth with 19. On the pitching side, the Birds have walked 21 batters over the last nine games.

NOT GOING TO SETTLE THIS SEASON

Over the first 39 games of the season, the Birds have allowed 33 runs in the opening frame. On the offensive side, Myrtle Beach has scored 30 runs in the first inning themselves. Out of the total runs that have been scored in the games the Pelicans have played, 19.9 percent (73-of-366) have been scored in the first inning. There has been at least one first-inning run by either team in 13 of the last 18 games the Pelicans have played. The Birds and their opponents have gone scoreless in the first three innings only twice in the last 23 games and only six times in their first 39 games.

BETTER TO SEE YOU LATE THAN NEVER

Over the last 11 contests for the Birds, in which they are 7-4, the starting pitching has been the key. Javier Assad, Alex Lange, Luis Lugo, Erling Moreno and Paul Richan all threw well in their starts. Their starters' ERA of 2.30 (16 ER in 62.2 IP) has lowered the overall starters' ERA on the season substantially. Entering the Salem series on May 3, the starters' ERA was 7.02. Entering Wednesday's game against Winston-Salem, that ERA has dropped to 5.38. As a whole, the Birds only allowed 10 earned runs over their last seven wins while surrendering a total of 24 earned runs over their last four losses.

WE WON'T BE GRUMPY TOMORROW

Pelicans starter Javier Assad was named the Carolina League Pitcher of the Week on Monday. Assad made one start in the week, earning a no-decision at Down East with six shutout, one-hit innings. After allowing a base hit to lead off the game from Yonny Hernandez, he only walked two batters the rest of the way. Assad leads all Pelicans starters with a 2.70 ERA and has thrown 14.1 consecutive scoreless innings spanning over his last three starts.

DAVID BOTE, IS THAT YOU?

Outfielder Kevonte Mitchell has been on fire for the Pelicans over his last six games. He has collected at least one hit over each of those games, batting .400/.458/.900 with a 2B, 3 HR, 9 RBIs, 5 RS, 3 BB. His six homers over 32 games are already more than he hit in 2018 (four home runs in 80G) and place him in a tie for fourth in the league in home runs. Since May 11, he is one of two players in High-A (Cal Raleigh of Modesto) to have hit three home runs.

SWEET, SWEET VICTORY

The Pelicans have now won five-straight home games after wins in the first two games of the series against Winston-Salem. The Birds are now 8-14 at home on the season and own a 3.96 ERA, as opposed to a 6.04 ERA on the road.

A VERY FITTING NAME TO BAIT

Tyler Payne has been on fire at the plate for Myrtle Beach. The 26-year-old has reached safely in 19 of his last 20 games (.329/.378/.461) and is currently on a five-game hitting streak. Over that stretch, he is hitting .417/.481/.542 with 3 2B, 2 RBIs, 3 BB and 4 RS. Payne is tied for the team high with eight multi-hit games this season. A season ago for the South Bend Cubs, Payne played in just 13 games before having right hip labrum surgery. He was on crutches for eight week after the surgery.

PELICAN POINTS

Myrtle Beach has been on absolute fire, winning seven of its last 11 games...Paul Richan threw 6.2 innings last night, which were a career high for him... LHP Ryan Kellogg was strong out of the 'pen too in his 1.1 innings...morrow, Alex Lange makes the start for the Birds.

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