CarL1 Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Pelicans Game Notes

Published on May 20, 2011 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release


- LHP Robbie Ross (5-1, 2.79) at RHP Tyler Sample (1-3, 2.51) -

OH HELLO, FIRST PLACE: The floundering Salem Red Sox have opened the door to the Pelicans' comfortable surroundings in first place in the Carolina League Southern Division. Following Thursday night's Birds victory over the Dash, the Sox dropped their seventh consecutive contest, a 1-0 defeat at the hands of tonight's Myrtle Beach opponent, the Wilmington Blue Rocks. Salem lost every contest on its seven-game homestand with three defeats at the hands of Winston-Salem followed by a four-game sweep by the Rocks. The Pelicans moved to three games up on Salem with Thursday's decisions, and things don't get easier for the Red Sox who head to Winston-Salem for the weekend. The three-game advantage for Myrtle Beach is the Pelicans' largest since late in the 2008 season when the Pelicans finished atop the Southern Division to take the division crown in both halves en route to the best overall record in franchise history at 89-51.

LEADING THE PACK: The Pelicans have scored the most runs in the Carolina League (190) and allowed the fewest (128). That gives them the best run differential in the circuit (+62), well ahead of second-ranked Wilmington (+29). The Birds lead the league in batting average at .262 and their .340 on-base percentage is 10 points ahead of the next-highest club, Frederick. On the mound, the Pelicans are the tops in ERA (2.95) and opponent batting average (.219). Myrtle Beach is the best in the field as well with a .982 fielding percentage by making only 26 errors, well ahead of Frederick who has made the second-fewest with 35.

SCORING FIRST: The Pelicans are best when getting the upper hand early. This year, when opponents score first, the Birds are just 7-12, but last night marked Myrtle Beach's first win in such a game on the road. The Birds are 18-3 when scoring first this season and erased the zero in the win column on the road to go to 1-7 away from home when opponents plate the game's initial run.

THURSDAY'S GONE: With a victory in the series finale over the Dash, the Pelicans finally broke through in the win column in a Thursday road game. The Birds are now 2-4 on Thursdays and 1-3 on the road. In games kicking off the weekend, the Pelicans are 3-3 in 2011.

WE CAN'T ALL BE BIG "Z": Undrafted out of the University of Rhode Island, Pelicans catcher Zach Zaneski is making people question why. Zaneski crushed two opposite-field solo shots against the Winston-Salem Dash Thursday night to knot the game at one in the second and provide an insurance run in a 3-1 victory in the seventh. With his second multi-homer game of the season, Zaneski lifted his average to .295 with a .922 OPS. Both numbers lead Pelicans regulars.

WINSTON WHOOPIN': The Pelicans' series victory over the Winston-Salem Dash marked just the latest installment of Myrtle Beach's recent mastery of Winston. With the exception of a Dash three-game sweep in North Carolina August 27-29 in the teams' last meeting last year, the Pelicans have won 14 of their last 17 matchups with the Dash outside of that series dating back to last May 20. That number includes Pelicans victories in six of seven contests against Winston-Salem this season.

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Carolina League Stories from May 20, 2011


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