CarL1 Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Myrtle Beach Pelicans Game Notes: May 31 vs. Potomac

Published on May 31, 2019 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release


Today, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans continue their four-game series against the Potomac Nationals (a Washington Nationals affiliate) at 7:05 p.m. This evening, LHP Luis Lugo (1-2, 3.57 ERA) starts for the Birds against RHP Malvin Pena (2-3, 7.45 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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PELICANS THRASH NATIONALS TO KNOT SERIES

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans were strong in all three facets of the game on Thursday in an 8-0 win over the Potomac Nationals from TicketReturn.Com Field at Pelicans Ballpark. The Birds jumped out in front early, plating a pair of runs in the first inning on an RBI single from Carlos Sepulveda and an RBI double from Kevonte Mitchell. A Tyler Payne sac fly in the third made it 3-0 before three more runs scored on a throwing error in the fourth to make it 6-0. Mitchell crushed his eighth homer of the season in the fifth and Luke Reynolds added a sac fly in the eighth to increase the lead to 8-0. Erich Uelmen (six innings), Ryan Lawlor (one) and Jesus Camargo (two) combined for the shutout.

THEY BROKE THE STREAK

Following an 8-0 loss on Wednesday, it had been 19 consecutive innings without a run for Myrtle Beach's offense. It was the second time in 2019 that the Pelicans were shutout two-straight times and it was the first time since 5/16-5/17 against the Winston-Salem Dash and Lynchburg Hillcats when the Birds lost 6-0 and 2-0 in back-to-back contests. The longest scoreless innings streak for the Pelicans this season was 23 runless innings from 5/15-5/17. The Birds snapped the scoreless streak on Thursday in the first inning before even recording an out in their 8-0 win over Potomac. In recorded franchise history (dating back to 2005), the Pelicans have been blanked in consecutive games 12 times including these last two games. During that span, they still have not been shut out in three-straight contests.

ARAMIS ADEMAN THE AWESOME

Aramis Ademan has completely turned around his offensive game in 2019. After finishing last in the Carolina League in 2018 with a .207 batting average, the now 20-year-old shortstop is hitting .264/.380/.400 over 44 games so far this season. With a 3-for-4 day on Sunday, he became the first Pelicans player this year to collect multiple hits in three-straight games, totaling a .583 (7-for-12) average between Friday-Sunday. After hitting three home runs and driving in 38 in 114 games in 2018, Ademan has already homered three times this season (within one of his career-best four in 2017) and plated 21. If he were to play that same number of contests, 114, he is on pace for 54 RBIs.

THE GENERAL OF THE FIELD

Pelicans backstop Miguel Amaya has been excellent at throwing out potential base stealers in 2019. Amaya is third in all of Minor League Baseball with 21 caught stealings this season (trailing only Will Banfield of Low-A Clinton, who has 26, and Payton Henry of Carolina, who has 22). Overall, Amaya has thrown out 21-of-52 (39.6 percent) of base runners this season. To this point in the season, his .993 fielding percentage ties a career best (2016 with DSL Cubs 2). As just a 19-year-old catcher in 2018, Amaya caught just 34 percent of base stealers (46-of-135). Collectively, the Pelicans' 31 caught stealings are tied for fourth in Minor League Baseball, trailing Double-A Birmingham (35, White Sox), Low-A South Bend (33, Cubs) and Double-A Jacksonville (32, Marlins).

CAMARGO CARRYING THE CARGO

Myrtle Beach reliever Jesus Camargo has been pitching well all season for the Birds. Camargo's 2.33 ERA leads the bullpen after his 2.0 innings on Thursday. Following that outing, opponents are just hitting .175 off of the righty. Over his last 10 outings, he has a 1.64 ERA (4 ER in 22.0 IP). Over that span, he has ceded just 13 hits, whiffing 18 and walking eight. In his appearance on Thursday, he struck out two in two frames.

LAYING DOWN THE LAWLOR

Pelicans reliever Ryan Lawlor has been a force out of the bullpen in his first four outings of the season. After his scoreless inning on Thursday, Lawlor owns a 1.29 ERA (1 ER over 7 IP) with 13 strikeouts and just one walk over his seven frames. Over his last three outings, he has struck out 10 in just 5.1 innings. Before being promoted to Myrtle Beach, Lawlor went 2-2 with a 1.83 ERA over nine appearances with Low-A South Bend.

MAY HE BE BETTER?

Carlos Sepulveda has been brilliant in May. The second baseman is hitting .305/.423/.339 in the second month of the season to raise his season slashline to .268/.370/.285. Sepulveda leads the Pelicans with a .993 fielding percentage, only having committed one error in 59 total chances this season.

BLANKING 'EM

The Pelicans pitching staff handed out their fourth shutout of the season on Thursday. It was the first shutout win since 5/15 against Winston-Salem. In the win, Erich Uelmen tossed a quality start - going six innings while striking out five - the 11th this season for Myrtle Beach. When receiving a quality start, the Birds are 8-3.

PELICAN POINTS

Myrtle Beach leads the league with 211 walks this year...Kevonte Mitchell's three-hit game on Thursday ties a season high for most hits in a game by a Bird this season. It has been done 11 times this year.

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