CarL1 Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Pelicans Game Notes

Published on May 6, 2008 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release


Myrtle Beach Pelicans (19-12) vs. Potomac Nationals (19-10)

Tuesday, May 6 -- 7:05 PM

BB&T Coastal Field -- Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Game #32, Home Game #14

TODAY'S GAME AT A GLANCE: After a dramatic 3-2 walk-off win last night on a solo home run in the bottom of the 10th by Concepcion Rodriguez, the Pelicans can wrap up their seventh straight series win in game two against the Potomac Nationals. The last series that the Pelicans lost came against the Frederick Keys (4/11-4/13).

TODAY'S STARTING PITCHERS: The Pelicans will send right-hander Deunte Heath to the hill tonight, looking for his fifth win of the season against right-hander Adrian Alaniz who is in pursuit of his third victory of the season.

Heath: Shares the Carolina League lead with four wins on the season (Jacob Renshaw, FRD; Josh Tomlin, KIN). Through six starts this season, he has allowed 29 hits and seven earned runs in 35.0 innings. His biggest flaw has been his lack of control. He is third in the Carolina League in walks issued with 20. His strongest outing of the season came against the Winston-Salem Warthogs when he pitched a Pelicans season-long 7.2 innings, while giving up only one run and striking out seven.

The Atlanta, Georgia native was drafted in the 19th round of the 2006 draft by the Atlanta Braves. Prior to being drafted, Heath pitched for both Lake City CC and the University of Tennessee.

Alaniz: Got off to a slow start, but has recovered very admirably in his last three starts. The second-year pro has pitched in 26.0 innings through six starts. In his first two starts, he allowed 10 hits and seven runs in just eight innings on the hill. For comparison, in his last three outings, he has allowed only 11 hits and two runs in 18.0 innings. Alaniz has struggled mightily in third innings this season, in which he has posted a 7.20 ERA.

The 24-year old was drafted in the eighth round of the 2007 draft by the Nationals. In his first professional season, he was an all-star for the Vermont Lake Monsters in the New York-Penn League. In eight starts and 13 outings, he finished with an 8-2 mark and a 2.39 ERA.

ROAD WARRIORS: The Pelicans are currently the only team in the CL with a winning record on the road, having compiled a 11-7 mark thus far. That bodes well for the Southern Division front-runners, who will play six of their next nine games away from the Grand Strand.

MAY-HE-A: So far so good in the month of May for Ernesto Mejia, who has hit safely in the first five games of the month and is riding a season-high eight-game hit streak (.468, 15-32, 3 HR). The first baseman tied the Pelicans franchise record with six RBIs in this past Saturday's 8-4 win. Mejia has hit safely in each game of the last road trip and currently has a ten-game road hit streak (.461, 18-39). All four of his home runs have come on the road and during the streak. Mejia was named the Carolina league Player of the Week for the week of April 28th-May 4th.

KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES: Pelicans second baseman has done it all over the last two weeks. When Gorkys Hernandez went on the disabled list (4/23), Manager Rocket Wheeler called upon Jones to be the table setter at the top of the order. He has responded in a big way, currently riding a season-best nine game hitting streak, in which he is hitting .388 with three home runs. Jones is tied for the team lead in runs scored with 17, first on the team in hits with 31, first in stolen bases with eight and second on the team in RBIs with 20.

BULLPENS TAXED: Both the Pelicans and the P-Nats were forced to go to the bullpen often in the series opener. The Pelicans used five different pitchers, while the P-Nats used three. Tonight, the Pelicans are left with three non-starters (Brett Butts, Jeff Lyman and Chris Vines). However, both Lyman and Vines went three plus innings in the Pelicans last series against Salem. The P-Nats pen has also worked overtime over the last four games. In fact, the pen has been forced to work 22.2 innings over the last four contests.

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Carolina League Stories from May 6, 2008


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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