CarL1 Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Myrtle Beach Pelicans Game Notes: May 9 at Down East

Published on May 9, 2019 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release


Today, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans go for the sweep against the Down East Wood Ducks (a Texas Rangers affiliate) in the finale game of the three-game series with first pitch at 7:00 p.m. This evening, RHP Javier Assad (1-3, 3.38 ERA) makes his sixth start for the Birds against RHP Reid Anderson (2-0, 1.35 ERA). Coverage begins at 6:45 p.m. on MyrtleBeachPelicans.com/Broadcast, TuneIn and the MiLB First Pitch app.

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BIRDS WIN FIFTH IN A ROW BEHIND RICHAN'S STRONG START

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans dropped the Down East Wood Ducks 4-2 on Wednesday afternoon from Grainger Stadium to secure their fifth-straight victory. The Pelicans fell behind 1-0 early, but scored a run in the third, sixth, seventh and eighth innings to take a 4-1 lead into the ninth. Brian Glowicki locked down his second save, only surrendering an unearned run. Paul Richan (3-2) was brilliant in his start, only surrendering a run on five hits over six innings while striking out eight and not walking a batter. Ryan Kellogg threw two scoreless innings out of the bullpen in the win as well and Cam Balego collected a pair of hits.

BETTER GET HERE ON TIME

Over the first 33 games of the season, the Birds have allowed 29 runs in the opening frame. On the offensive side, Myrtle Beach has scored 29 runs in the first inning themselves. Out of the total runs that have been scored in the games the Pelicans have played, 22.3 percent (68-of-305) have been scored in the first inning. There has been at least one first-inning run by either team in nine of the last 12 games the Pelicans have played. The Birds and their opponents have gone scoreless in the first three innings only twice in the last 17 games and only six times in their first 33 games.

THOSE DARN WOODIES

Down East has been a thorn in the side of the Pelicans in 2019, but this series has been different. The Wood Ducks are 7-2 against Myrtle Beach so far this season, outscoring the Birds 52-26 (avg. of 5.7-2.9 per game), but this series, the Birds have won both games. The Pelicans have a 5.31 ERA while just hitting .197 against Down East this season. The Woodies began the season by winning the first seven games of the matchup. It was the first time the Pelicans had 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.

HERRON THE HERO

Jimmy Herron has been hot at the plate for Myrtle Beach. The outfielder has reached in 10-straight games, hitting .394/.535/.697 over that stretch. In those 10 games, he has seven extra base hits (5 2B, 3B, HR), 9 RBIs, 7 RS, 10 BB and 4 SB. For the first time in his career, he stolen two bases in the same game in Wednesday's morning game against Down East. In his prior seven games, he was just hitting .107 (3-for-28).

START ME UP AND NEVER STOP

Over this five-game winning streak, the pitching has been the key. Javier Assad, Alex Lange, Luis Lugo, Erling Moreno and Paul Richan were brilliant in their starts. Assad went six shutout innings, Lange threw five shutout frames, Lugo delivered five innings of one-run ball, Moreno threw 6.1 innings, just allowing one run and Richan allowed just a single tally in his six innings with eight strikeouts. Assad carried a no-hitter into the fourth inning while Lange didn't allow a hit in his five innings. Their starters' ERA of 0.95 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 5.84. As a whole, the Birds have only allowed seven earned runs over the last five games (1.40 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 3.80 ERA. Hecht leads the way with a 1.76 ERA and paces the bunch with 12 appearances. Over his last six outings, the righty has struck out 15 over 9.1 innings while only allowing one run on eight hits. Last season, Hecht made 34 appearances for South Bend, owning a 4-1 record and a 4.23 ERA.

NEW MONTH, NEW ME

After a tough April in which the Pelicans set a record franchise low for winning percentage in a single month (.269) with a 7-19 record, May has been much more kind to the Birds. In the first seven games of May, the Birds are 5-2 and are hitting .245 with an ERA of 2.86. In April, Myrtle Beach just hit .212 with a 5.29 ERA. In 2018, after the Pelicans went 9-15 in April, they went 15-14 in May.

WE'RE GOING STREAKING

This five-game winning streak in the longest for Myrtle Beach since 7/11 through 7/16 when the Birds won six-straight games against Carolina and Down East in 2018. During this winning streak, the Pelicans have won three games that have been decided by two runs or one run. The longest winning streak of 2018 was a nine gamer from 6/1 through 6/10 against Down East, Buies Creek and Salem. The longest winning streak in the Cubs Era (since 2015) was 10 games from 7/30/16 through 8/9/16.

PELICAN POINTS

The Pelicans' 10 walks on Wednesday were the second-most they had drawn this year (11 vs. FAY on 4/12).

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Carolina League Stories from May 9, 2019


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