CarL1 Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Pelicans claim series with offensive eruption, 8-6

Published on April 29, 2008 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release


LYNCHBURG, VA - Myrtle Beach overcame a 4-1 deficit en route to a see-saw 8-6 victory over the Lynchburg Hillcats on Tuesday night from Lynchburg City Stadium

For the second straight start, the Hillcats got to Pelicans' starter Gonzalo Lopez in the first inning. Brian Friday, who homered to open Lopez's last start, led off the ballgame with a double. He was sacrificed to third by Angel Gonzalex and scored a batter later to give Lynchburg a 1-0 lead on an RBI-single for Jim Negrych.

Lynchburg got right back after Lopez in the second as Jared Keel led off with a double down the left field line. Keel scored to make it 2-0 on a Tony Mansolino single. Mansolino then stole second base and came home on a Friday single to stretch the Lynchburg lead to 3-0.

Myrtle Beach broke through for the first time in the fourth with three consecutive singles, capped off by a Concepcion Rodriguez single to make it a 3-1 deficit. However, Lynchburg answered with a lone run off of Lopez in the fourth to extend back to a three-run lead, 4-1.

Both teams handed the game to the bullpen following the fourth, and neither starter factored in the decision.

The Pelicans rallied in the sixth off of reliever Charles Benoit. After Ernesto Mejia and Jon Mark Owings opened the inning with back-to-back singles, Concepcion Rodriguez sent a two-run double down the left field line to trim the ballgame to a one-run affiar, 4-3. Benoit then walked walked Robert Marcial at the bottom of the order and Travis Jones at the top to load the bases. Benoit was lifted in favor of right-hander Matt McSwain, whose second pitch to Brandon Hicks was belted off the wall in center field to clear the bases and give the Pelicans a 6-4 lead.

The birds added a pair of runs to their lead in the eighth. Robert Marcial, who walked four times in the ballgame, drew a free pass to start the inning, and after advancing to second, scored on an RBI single from Jones to make it 7-4. Tyler Flowers then contributed his fourth hit and third double of the night to score Jones and push the lead to 8-4.

Myrtle Beach needed the runs, as Lynchburg parlayed back-to-back walks from Kelvin Villa into a two-run ballgame as Negrych doubled home Friday and Gonzalez to cut the lead to 8-6.

The win was secured by Kevin Gunderson who worked a perfect ninth for his second save in as many nights and his league leading seventh overall. Brett Butts (2-2) who worked a scoreless inning of relief claimed the win, while Benoit (0-3) took the loss for Lynchburg.

The Pelicans also claimed their fifth consecutive series victory with the win, which included three hits for Ernesto Mejia and four walks for Robert Marcial.

The two teams will conclude their three-game series on Wednesday night at 6:05 PM at Lynchburg City Stadium. Two-time Carolina League Pitcher of the Week, RHP Tommy Hanson (3-0, 0.31), will make the start for the Pelicans against LHP Tony Watson (1-3, 3.42) for the Hillcats.

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Carolina League Stories from April 29, 2008


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