CarL1 Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Myrtle Beach Pelicans: Game Notes, May 27 at Carolina

Published on May 27, 2018 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release


The Myrtle Beach Pelicans face the Carolina Mudcats in Sunday's 6 p.m. contest from Five County Stadium. RHP Tyson Miller (4-2, 4.22 ERA) starts for the Birds against Muddies LHP Nathan Kirby (0-3, 6.20 ERA). Coverage begins at 5:45 p.m. on MyrtleBeachPelicans.com/Broadcast, the MiLB First Pitch app and TuneIn.

THOMPSON, PEYTON FIRE ONE-HITTER IN WIN

Keegan Thompson and Tyler Peyton combined to pitch a one-hitter Saturday in Myrtle Beach's 1-0 win at Carolina. After Thompson yielded a two-out single in the first inning to Keston Hiura, the two right-handers retired the final 25 Mudcats to come to the plate. Thompson struck out a career-high eight batters in the effort. The only run of the game came home in the third inning. Andruw Monasterio singled with one out. Two wild pitches from Carolina starter Conor Harber moved Monasterio to third before Jhonny Pereda laced an RBI single to right field to put the Pelicans in front 1-0. The victory was the Birds' fourth in the last six games.

ONE OF A KIND

With two outs in the first innings Saturday, Keston Hiura knocked a ground ball single into center field for a base hit. That wound up being Carolina's only baserunner of the night as Keegan Thompson and Tyler Peyton combined to retire the final 25 Mudcats to come to the plate in a one-hitter, Myrtle Beach's first since Alex Gonzalez and Jose Leclerc one-hit the Frederick Keys in a 3-1 win on May 20, 2014. However, in that contest in Maryland, six walks issued to Keys batters meant Gonzalez and Leclerc faced 34 batters. Thus, the one baserunner yielded by Thompson and Peyton is the fewest in a nine-inning game for the Pelicans since at least the 2005 season. Yesterday's contest was also the third one-hitter in recorded club history (through the 2005 season). The Birds have thrown two no-hitters.

FOOL ME TWICE... STRIKE THREE

In their series opener with Lynchburg on Monday, the Pelicans struck out 14 Hillcats, matching a season-high and setting the tone on an impressive series on the mound. All told, the Birds compiled double-digit strikeouts in all four games, and the club's 49 total whiffs (12.3 K/9) were their most in any series this season. Myrtle Beach has picked up right where it left off in their first two games with Carolina, tallying nine and eight punchouts, respectively. Thus, over the last six games, the Birds have faced 218 batters, fanning 66 of them, tied for the fifth-most in all of Minor League Baseball over that span, and 30.3 percent of opposing hitters. To put things in perspective, Houston's 29.1 percent strikeout rate leads Major League Baseball this season.

STARTING FAST

Keegan Thompson's gem Saturday continued a run of excellent starting pitching from the Pelicans. Over the last four games, starters Alex Lange, Matt Swarmer, Bailey Clark and Thompson have combined to surrender just one run, earned, on 13 hits in 26.0 innings for a 0.35 ERA. The right-handers have whiffed 27 while walking only two. Myrtle Beach's right-handed starters, which also includes Tyson Miller, have collectively gone 11-11 with a 3.44 ERA in 180.1 innings, yielding 78 runs, 69 earned, on 172 hits (8.6 H/9). The quintet has combined for 181 strikeouts (9.0 K/9) against 38 free passes (1.9 BB/9) in a starting role.

'PEN PALS

Tyler Peyton fired three perfect innings out of the bullpen Saturday, continuing strong bullpen work from Myrtle Beach. Thus, over the past 27 games dating back to April 28, Pelicans relievers have posted 2.39 ERA thanks to 35 runs, 24 earned, on 74 hits (7.4 H/9) in 90.1 innings. Myrtle Beach's relief pitchers have also whiffed 96 (9.6 K/9) over this span.

JHONNY ON THE SPOT

Jhonny Pereda leads the Pelicans in average (.302) and on-base percentage (.386) and is second on the club in slugging percentage (.424). He has reached base in six straight games (6-for-20, 2 HR, 5 RBIs, 6 BB). Over his last 35 starts, the native of San Sebastian, Venezuela is hitting .321/.395/.450 with three doubles, one triple, four home runs and 29 RBIs. Pereda ranks ninth in the Carolina League in average due to a contact-oriented approach that has seen him whiff at just 7.9 percent of pitches, the eighth-lowest in the circuit. Pereda has sprayed his batted balls to the opposite field (39.8 percent, fifth-most in the league) and up the middle (26.3 percent) a combined 66.1 percent of the time.

PELICAN POINTS

Myrtle Beach's staff has walked three or fewer in four straight contests, and the club's total of 148 on the season is the fewest in the league by 11 free passes... Over the last nine games, the Birds are just 13-for-83 (.157) with runners in scoring position, stranding 71 baserunners... The Pelicans own the league's best record in one-run games at 7-2, winning six such games in a row.

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