CarL1 Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Pelicans Game Notes - 7:05 vs. Frederick - May 3, 2014

Published on May 3, 2014 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release


LAST TIME OUT: The Pelicans could not overcome a five-run second inning from the Frederick Keys, falling 6-4 on Friday night...JORGE ALFARO clubbed his second home run, but the Birds went 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position in the contest...LUIS PARRA, the Pelicans starter, put forth his shortest outing as a starter of the season due in large part to a big second inning, going just 4.2 IP...Matt Hauser in his Baltimore organizational debut pitched a perfect ninth for the save. Parra (3-1) suffered his first defeat, while Kline (2-1) netted his second victory.

KE-ING IN ON DOUBLE-A: Right-handed pitcher KEONE KELA earned his first promotion to Double-A on Saturday. He went 0-1 with a 2.61 ERA for the Pelicans in a team-high eight appearances, all out of the bullpen. In 10.1 innings pitched for Myrtle Beach he struck out 13 and walked four. At the time of his departure from the team, he was tied for third in the Carolina League with five saves and held the longest stretch of consecutive batters retired by a Pelicans reliever this season (14), which he set over three outings from April 14 through April 24. Kela is ranked by Baseball America as the number 18 prospect in the Rangers farm system with the "Best Fastball," according to the same publication, among Rangers farmhands. The club received Abel De Los Santos who was on the Opening Day Roster for the Hickory Crawdads this season.

He posted an 0-1 record with a 1.69 ERA, fifth lowest on the team, in a team-leading eight appearances. Over 10.2 innings pitched, the Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic native fanned 12 and walked one batter. He surrendered three runs, two earned, on seven hits.

ROLLER-COASTER: Over the last eight ballgames, the club has alternated wins and losses. Prior to that, the Pelicans had been streaking either hot or cold. After four straight losses to start the year they put together streaks of eight (wins), two (losses), and six (wins). ONE RUN WOES: The Birds won the first four one-run games they played in this season. They lost three games on the road trip, all by one run. They are 4-3 now in one-run games. The team started 6-1 in games decided by two or fewer runs and are now just 7-5 in those games.

FREE TICKETS EVERYONE: Myrtle Beach has posted the second best ERA in the league so far this season, yet has handed out its fair share of walks. The team has issued 124 walks, most in the Carolina League and tied for the fifth-most in all of minor league baseball. VICTOR PAYANO, Friday night's starter, has the MiLB lead in walks (27). The team 4.94 BB/9 is the highest rate in the minors as well.

HIGH FIVES: Five runs has been the magic number this season. When the Pelicans score five or more runs, they are undefeated at 13-0. They are just 3-10 when scoring fewer than five runs.

SIXTH SENSE: The sixth inning has been oddly kind to the Pelicans this year. They are outscoring their opponents 17-0 in the inning. The ninth inning has been the team's worst inning statistically, being outscored 15-8

CHANGING ROLES: CODY BUCKEL has now made two appearances out of the bullpen since coming off the disabled list. In both outings, he tossed a scoreless inning, and on Friday he had his first walkless outing since September of 2012.

WINNING THE GROUND GAME: Myrtle Beach hit into two ground ball double plays on Thursday night, yet still are tied with Lynchburg for the fewest hit into this season (10). The defense has turned a league-high 22 double plays.

E-ESH!: With 41 errors this season, the Pelicans have committed the second most in the league in the category (WS - 44) and the sixth most in MiLB. They have made blunders in each of the last five games, with multiple errors in three of the five games. The club also leads the league in passed balls with seven; all of them have been committed by JORGE ALFARO.

HANSER THE ANSWER: Shortstop HANSER ALBERTO had his seven game hitting streak snapped last night. He hit safely in seven straight games. Hanser hit .345 with a double, four runs scored, and six RBI during the hitting streak.

BOLING FOR HITS: Right fielder ROYCE BOLINGER brought his hot bat on the last road trip. After an 11-for-22 (.500) homestand in which he scored two runs, stroked four doubles, clubbed two home runs, and collected 11 RBIs, Bolinger hit safely in five of the six games on the road trip. He returned home and has hits in both games of the series. He is now hitting .364, second in the league and first among qualifying Rangers farmhands.

THE FINAL BECKONING: PRESTON BECK is in the midst of a seven- game hitting streak, the active team high. Over that stretch, he has raised his average from .250 to .303. Since his grand slam on April 17, he has raised his on-base percentage from .275 to .398, which is good for third best on the team (behind Gallo and Herrera). Hit hitting streak is one short of Odubel Herrera's team-high hit streak of eight, captured in early April.

THE HENDERSON HAMMER: Joey Gallo earned his second Carolina League Player of the Week award on Monday. He hit .364, going 8-for-22 during the week with three homers, a double, a triple, 9 RBI, seven runs scored, and eight walks. Gallo has homered multiple times in a game on 11 occasions in his career (two in 2012, 7 in 2013, 2 this season) and on consecutive days 21 times (13 in 2012, six in 2013, two this year). The slugger homered on Thursday night in the 9-5 over Frederick, sparking the seven-run seventh inning with a solo shot to start the frame. Gallo leads the Rangers system and current minor leaguers in homers, tied with Houston's Jon Singleton (Triple-A Oklahoma City). He led all of minor league baseball in 2013 with 40 home runs. He has more homers than 14 minor league teams, including one team in the Carolina League (Wilmington). Among qualifying players, he is leading the minors in slugging, fourth in OPS and sixth in runs scored.

STRUTTING THEIR FEATHERS: The Pelicans roster currently features six players highlighted in Baseball America's list of the Rangers' Top 30 prospects, including four of the top 5, and three in the overall top 100 in MiLB. Catcher JORGE ALFARO (ranked No. 2 in the Rangers Top 30, No. 54 in the overall Top 100), NICK WILLIAMS (3, 97) and third baseman JOEY GALLO (4, 60) rank in the top 100. The other four players in the Texas Top 30 are RHPs ALEX "CHI CHI" GONZALEZ (5), JOSE LECLERC (16), and LHP ALEXANDER CLAUDIO (27). The publication also tabbed Gallo in their Top Tools superlatives as the "Best Power Hitter" and "Best Infield Arm". Unranked in the top 30, CHRIS GARIA is the "Fastest Baserunner" and PRESTON BECK has the "Best Outfield Arm." CHRISTOPHER BOSTICK, traded from Oakland in December, was ranked No. 18 in the Athletics' top 30 by BA.

TODAY'S OPPOSING STARTER: RHP Parker Bridwell, a Texas native, is ranked as the top pitching prospect on the Key's roster according to Baseball America (No. 19). Bridwell was drafted in the ninth round in 2010 out of Hereford High School, near Amarillo in the panhandle...2014: Makes his sixth start today....LAST TIME OUT: 4/25 vs. MB: L, 6.0 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 1 HB...OTHER NOTES: Has lasted 5.0 or more innings only one other time, going 6.0 innings vs. LYN on 4/14...Struck out three or more in every start...team is 0-5 in his starts...IN 2013: 2nd in the SAL in Ks (144), most by a shorebird since 2009, 1st in IP (142.2)... SAL Pitcher of the Week (8/12-18)...IN 2012: One-hit CG July 21 at WV...IN 2011: Named O's #4 prospect after season by BA...Led SS Aberdeen in GS (11), IP (53.2), K (57)...promoted to Delmarva and made five starts for Shorebirds...IN 2010: Pro debut 8/24 vs GCL Red Sox...Promoted to Aberdeen 8/31... REPERTOIRE: Fastball (89-93, touches 95), curveball, changeup.

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