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CarL1 Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Myrtle Beach Pelicans Game Notes: May 7 at Down East

May 7, 2019 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release


Today, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans take on the Down East Wood Ducks (a Texas Rangers affiliate) in the first game of the three-game series with first pitch at 7:00 p.m. This evening, RHP Erling Moreno (1-4, 12.00 ERA) makes his fifth start for the Birds against RHP Tyler Phillips (2-1, 1.14 ERA). Coverage begins at 6:45 p.m. on MyrtleBeachPelicans.com/Broadcast, TuneIn and the MiLB First Pitch app.

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SIX-RUN SEVENTH SENDS BIRDS TO SWEEP OVER SOX

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans plated six runs in the seventh inning on their way to a 8-2 victory over the Salem Red Sox from TicketReturn.Com Field at Pelicans Ballpark on Sunday. Though they trailed 1-0 early, the Birds tied the game and took the lead in the third and fourth innings with single tallies. That lead carried into the seventh inning, where Jimmy Herron, Carlos Sepulveda and Tyler Payne all ripped RBI singles before Grant Fennell put the finishing touches on the frame with a three-run double. Luis Lugo (1-1) threw five strong innings in his start, only allowing one run on six hits while Tyler Peyton and Ben Hecht both threw scoreless baseball out of the Birds' bullpen.

BETTER GET HERE ON TIME

Over the first 31 games of the season, the Birds have allowed 29 runs in the opening frame. On the offensive side, Myrtle Beach has scored 28 runs in the first inning themselves. Out of the total runs that have been scored in the games the Pelicans have played, 22.9 percent (67-of-292) have been scored in the first inning. There has been at least one run by either team in eight of the last 10 games the Pelicans have played. The Birds and their opponents have gone scoreless in the first three innings only twice in the last 15 games and only six times in their first 31 games.

THOSE DARN WOODIES

Down East has been a thorn in the side of the Pelicans in 2019. The Wood Ducks are 7-0 against Myrtle Beach so far this season, outscoring the Birds 47-18 (avg. of 6.7-2.6 per game). The Pelicans have a 6.30 ERA while just hitting .183 against Down East this season. It is the first time the Pelicans have lost seven in a row to begin the season against one team in recorded franchise history (dating back to 2005). Entering the year, in the two seasons that the Woodies had been in the Carolina League, Myrtle Beach was 31-20 against them.

BRINGING OUT THE BROOMS

Entering the three-game series against the Salem Red Sox on Friday, the Pelicans had lost eight-straight games. That all turned around in the series against the Boston affiliate. In the three games, the Birds outscored them 23-6 while hitting .299 as a team and owning a 1.33 ERA as a staff. In game one of the series, a 12-2 win, the Pelicans set season highs in runs (12) and hits (15). Tyler Payne led the way with five hits in the series while Jimmy Herron and Grant Fennell added four.

START ME UP AND NEVER STOP

Over this three-game winning streak, the pitching has been the key. Javier Assad, Alex Lange and Luis Lugo were brilliant in their starts, going six shutout innings, five shutout frames and five innings of one-run ball, respectively. Assad carried a no-hitter into the fourth inning while Lange didn't allow a hit in his five innings. Their starters' ERA of 0.56 has lowered the overall starters' ERA on the season substantially. Entering the Salem series, the starters' ERA was 7.02. Entering this series against Down East, that ERA has dropped to 6.25. As a whole, the Birds only allowed four earned runs over the last three games (1.33 ERA).

HE'S A HECHT OF A BALLPLAYER

Ben Hecht has been brilliant out of the bullpen this season for the Pelicans. Overall the bullpen has been a bright spot, owning a 3.83 ERA. Hecht leads the way with a 1.26 ERA and paces the bunch with 11 appearances. Over his last five outings, the righty has struck out 14 over 8.1 scoreless innings while only allowing six hits and walking a pair. Last season, Hecht made 34 appearances for South Bend, owning a 4-1 record and a 4.23 ERA.

REST IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE DAY

With the additions of Tommy Nance and Jake Stinnett to the Pelicans' bullpen on Friday, the Birds are in great shape in the back end. Combined with the day off on Monday, the Birds have three members of the 'pen (Jesus Camargo, Brian Glowicki and Ryan Kellogg) on three days of rest or more. The bullpen has been pitching well lately, owning a 2.32 ERA (8 ER in 31 IP) over the seven-game homestand. Before the Down East series to open the homestand, the bullpen had a 4.28 ERA; it has now lowered to 3.83.

SEE YA BEACHES

The Pelicans have played a bunch of home games in the early part of the season. Through the first 31 games of the year, the Birds have played 21 games at TicketReturn.Com Field at Pelicans Ballpark. In those games, Myrtle Beach is 7-14. Over the next 21 contests, Myrtle Beach will play just four home games, embarking on six-game and 11-game road trips from May 7-12 and May 17-27. Winston-Salem comes to the beach for a four-game set in between those trips.

PELICAN POINTS

The Pelicans 293 hits allowed are second in High-A to the 319 ceded by the Lancaster JetHawks (Rockies affiliate) of the California League.

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Carolina League Stories from May 7, 2019


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