CarL1 Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Pelicans Game Notes

July 23, 2008 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release


TODAY'S GAME AT A GLANCE: The Pelicans aim to win their 21st series of the 2008 season in the series finale against the Frederick Keys. With their 10-0 shutout win last night, the Birds have taken 13 of the 19 meetings with the Keys. Tonight's game is the final meeting between the two clubs in 2008.

Last night, the Pelicans pieced together one of their best performances of the season. Interestingly enough, the Pelicans stranded a season-high 14 runners on-base and still plated 10 runs. The 10-0 final score was the largest shutout win for the Birds in 2008. For the third time this season, the Pelicans notched back-to-back home runs (E. Campbell; E. Mejia).

TODAY'S PITCHERS: In a meeting of right-handers, Kyle Cofield makes his sixth start of the season against Frederick and Jake Arrieta makes his third start against the Pelicans.

Cofield: Coming off a steady start in which he earned the win in 5.2 innings against the Winston-Salem Warthogs (7/18). Cofield has been hit around a bit in the month of July. In three starts, he has a 1-1 record with a 7.17 ERA in July. In 16.1 innings, he has allowed 26 hits and 14 earned runs. Left-handed hitters have fared well against Cofield (45-140, .321). Cofield leads the Carolina League in walks allowed with 60. Ranks 16th in the league in innings pitched (95.1). Has given up 102 hits, which is 11th most in the Carolina League. He has gone through the fifth inning in each of his last four starts.

The Gadsden, Alabama native was selected in the eighth round of the 2005 June free agent draft. In his first three professional seasons prior to ‘08, he compiled a 6-11 record with a 4.76 ERA, splitting time between relieving and starting.

Arrieta: Selected to the 2008 US Olympic National Team. Tonight's start is expected to be his final one before departing on July 28th to begin training with the national team. The Carolina League All-Star starter has had a solid season. In 106.0 total innings, he has allowed just 77 hits and 36 earned runs. The Carolina League is hitting just .203 against Arrieta. He leads the league in strikeouts with 112. He also ranks second in the league in ERA (3.06). Excellent in the first inning, where he has only allowed 14 hits and four earned runs in 19.0 first innings.

The Farmington, Missouri native is the #7 rated prospect in the Baltimore Orioles chain according to Baseball America. He played his college baseball at Texas Christian. The Orioles drafted Arrieta in the 5th round of the 2007 draft. Since he signed late, this is his first professional season. He pitched for the Phoenix Desert Dogs of the Arizona Fall League last fall.

JONES CONTINUES ON-BASE STREAK: Pelicans second baseman Travis Jones will put his season-long 26-game on-base streak on the line tonight. Jones' streak is the longest active streak in the Carolina League. The longest streak of its kind in ‘08 is 32-games (Drennen- KIN).

RECORD BOOK RAMBLINGS: The Pelicans will use historical significance as second half motivation, already post-season assured in the Southern Division. Myrtle Beach already broke the record for first half victories (45) and now eye the record for total wins in season (88 - 2000) and second half wins (46 - 2000). The Pelicans also will have a shot at many other single-season team records including team batting average (.257 - 2006) . The birds are currently batting .263 for the season. They also are on pace to shatter the single-season runs record (637 - 1999), currently leading the Carolina League with 547 runs scored.

SOUPS ON PART TWO: Eric Campbell is approaching the Pelicans' franchise record for career RBIs. Campbell has driven in 49 runs in just 50 games in 2008, and coupled with his 49 in 2007 he has 98 for his career with Myrtle Beach. That total is just two shy of Adam LaRoche, who posted 100 RBIs between 2001-2002. LaRoche was recently named to the Pelicans' 10th Anniversary Team.

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Carolina League Stories from July 23, 2008


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