CarL1 Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Pelicans Game Notes for June 27

Published on June 27, 2009 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release


Myrtle Beach Pelicans (27-42, 2-0) at Lynchburg Hillcats (45-26, 0-2)

Saturday, June 27 -- 7:05 PM

Lynchburg City Stadium - Lynchburg, VA

Game #70

WHAT HAPPENED WAS...: The Pelicans plated 11 runs and shutout the Hillcats until the ninth to earn their third straight win. Everbody in the lineup scored a run and all but two Birds had hits. Pelican starter Jacob Thompson dominated as he went seven shutout innings and struck out eight while walking just two. He also allowed only three hits in his start. The bullpen was strong in the final two innings as Jaye Chapman and Eric Barrett combined to pitch the final two innings allowing just one run on only one hit. Each struck out a pair of batters. As a team the Pelicans went 5-for-11 with runners in scoring position a number that is much higher than the team's season average. The Pelicans also left just five runners on base while Lynchburg stranded nine.

CORDIER: Erik Cordier is making his third start of the season against the Hillcats. Both prior starts were against Lynchburg at home. He pitched has his longest outing of the season against the Hillcats last time he faced them two starts ago. He went seven shutout innings and allowed just four hits but scattered five walks. His prior start was just two innings, but that was just his second start since returning from a broken finger he sustained in Spring Training. Overall, this is Cordier's 12th start of the season and he hasn't lost a decision since May 20, a span of five starts. He is looking to rebound after one of his worst starts of the season when he allowed five runs, four earned, on six hits over five innings against Frederick.

WILSON: This is the second time the Pelicans have faced Justin Wilson. The Birds plated only one run agaisnt him on five hits over five innings in his start in Myrtle Beach two starts ago. In 13 starts this season he hasn't pitched past the fifth inning. Wilson was fifth round draft pick of the Pirates out of Fresno State University last June. He was the winning pitcher in the final game of the 08 College World Series in Omaha, NE. He struck out nine and allowed just one run as he beat the Georgia Bulldogs.

HIGH MARKS: Last night was a breakthrough game for the Pelicans. Myrtle Beach scored 11 runs which was the first time the Pelicans have scored in double figures this season. They also allowed just one run and have allowed only the one run over their last 22 innings. It was also the lasrgest margin of victory for the Pelicans this season after matching their season high the night before which was six. As mentioned before the Pelicans were 5-for11 with runners in scoring position, on the season the Birds are hitting just .254 in those situations. They are now 2-0, and were never more than one game over .500 in the first half of the season.

MILES AWAY: Cole Miles has dialed in and contributed another pair of hits yesterday. He is now hitting .316 over his last 10 games. The more significant note is that in the last seven games he has collected a hit in, he has collected two of them. Since June 6, his average has gone from .225 to .258 He has hits in 12 of those 15 games since then as well.

DONNIE AND FREEMAN: Linares and Freeman are easily two of the hottest hitters in the lineup right now for the Pelicans. Do- nell has hits in 12 of his last 14 games. Over which time his average has climbed from .268 to .280. He has four extra base hits over that time and four games with at least two hits, including one game with four, and eight RBIs. He has hit safely in each of his last four games. Freeman is hitting .400 over his last five games and .447 over his last 10. He has hits in his last five games and in 17 of his last 19 contests with seven multi hit games over that time. He has seen his average climb from .288 up to .318 heading into this evening's game. He also has his only two home runs since April over that stretch as well. Cody Johson has enjoyed recent success at the plate as well. The powerful left handed hitting outfielder snapped a nine game hit streak last night. Cody is hitting .308 over his last 10 games and has a pair of homers and 6 RBIs tying him for the team lead in that category of that stretch. The Pelicans have five players with six RBIs over the team's last 10 games. SUCRE STAYS HOT: New Pelican catcher Jesus Sucre who was just promoted from Low A Rome, contributed a hit in his first at bat to open the second half. Sucre ended his tenure with Rome on an 11-game hit streak. Thursday night's hit gives him a hit in 12 straight pro games now. Sucre maintained his .325 average over the streak in Rome. It sat there when the streak started and that was his average when he left. He had only three multi hit games over the 11-game span. He scored just two runs and drove in three over that stretch.

FIRST HALF WOES: The Pelicans couldn't be happier to see the first half come to a close. The Birds posted just a 25-42 record a year after leading all of Minor League Baseball in wins. It was the worst first half in team history and the Pelicans hit just .245 as a team and the pitching staff finished with a staff ERA of 4.68. Both numbers good for last in the league. The Peli- cans were also at the bottom of the list in stolen bases, swiping only 27 bags in the first half of the season. The Pelicans did display some power in the first half as they were second as a team with 56 long balls. They finished last in the league in walks drawn with 169 and tops in walks issued with 296. In addition to the numbers, injuries plagued the Birds as Jason Heyward and Freddie Freeman both missed substantial time with nagging injuries. Two of the Pelicans top starters also missed quite a bit of time as well. Cole Rohrbough was sidelined after his first start with a hamstring injury and Erik Cordier was shelved at the start of the season with a broken finger. The Pelicans are looking forward to a healthy start to the second half to spark early success.

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