CarL1 Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Pelicans Game Notes

Published on May 5, 2019 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release


Today, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans take on the Salem Red Sox (affiliate of the Boston Red Sox) with first pitch at 6:05 p.m. In the finale of the three-game set, LHP Luis Lugo (0-1, 3.79 ERA) makes his third start for the Birds against RHP Daniel Gonzalez (1-2, 3.38 ERA). Coverage begins at 5:50 p.m. on MiLB.tv, MyrtleBeachPelicans.com/Broadcast, TuneIn and the MiLB First Pitch app.

In addition, the Pelicans transform into "Los Pelícanos de Myrtle Beach" today as part of the "Copa de la Diversion" initiative by Minor League Baseball. The "Los Pelícanos" moniker and a day of Latin celebration will help to propel the franchise into the future through authentic engagement with its Latin community.

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BIRDS WIN SECOND IN A ROW, REYNOLDS HOMERS

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans took home their second-straight win with a 3-2 victory over the Salem Red Sox from TicketReturn.Com Field at Pelicans Ballpark on Saturday. The Birds, behind five no-hit innings from Alex Lange (1-4) took a no-no into the seventh inning before Jake Stinnett allowed two unearned runs and an infield single. A fourth-inning, three-run home run from Luke Reynolds was the difference in the game. It was his first homer of the season and his second in his career. The Pelicans won just their second game when they were outhit (Salem collected three hits while the Birds just managed two). There were 12 combined walks in the game (seven from Salem and five by Myrtle Beach).

BETTER GET HERE ON TIME

In the three-game sweep at the hands of the Salem Red Sox last weekend, the Pelicans allowed 12 runs in the first inning alone. Over the first 30 games of the season, the Birds have allowed 29 runs in the opening frame (8.70 ERA). On the offensive side, Myrtle Beach has scored 28 runs in the first inning themselves. Out of the total runs that have been scored in the games the Pelicans have played, 23.8 percent (67-of-282) have been scored in the first inning. There has been at least one run by either team in eight of the last nine games the Pelicans have played. The Birds and their opponents have gone scoreless in the first three innings only twice in the last 14 games and only six times in their first 30 games.

BIRDS ON THE POUND

On Saturday, the Pelicans went 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position. Over their prior 11 games before this two-game winning streak, in which the Pelicans were 1-10, the Birds struggled with RISP. They just hit .206 (20-for-97) with a runner at second or third in those games. When Myrtle Beach won four-straight games from 4/17-4/20, they hit .278 (10-for-36) with RISP.

SEEING DOUBLE

In the Pelicans' 12-2 victory over the Red Sox on Friday, the Birds banged out a season-best 15 hits and had six different players record multi-hit games. Cam Balego collected three hits while driving in two and Jhonny Bethencourt, Miguel Amaya, Tyler Payne, Aramis Ademan and Yeiler Peguero all picked up two-hit games. Bethencourt, Balego and Grant Fennell all knocked in a pair as well. On Saturday, the Birds just collected two hits total in their 3-2 win over the Red Sox.

START ME UP AND NEVER STOP

Over this two-game winning streak, the pitching has been the key. Javier Assad and Alex Lange were brilliant in their starts, going six shutout innings and five shutout frames, respectively. Assad carried a no-hitter into the fourth inning while Lange didn't allow a hit in his five innings. The Birds have only allowed two earned runs over the last two games (1.00 ERA).

HE'S A HECHT OF A BALLPLAYER

Ben Hecht has been brilliant out of the bullpen this season for the Pelicans. Overall the bullpen has been a bright spot, owning a 3.95 ERA. Hecht leads the way with a 1.35 ERA and paces the bunch with 10 appearances. Over his last four outings, the righty has struck out 11 over 7.1 scoreless innings while only allowing five hits and walking a pair. Last season, Hecht made 34 appearances for South Bend, owning a 4-1 record and a 4.23 ERA.

REST IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE DAY

With the additions of Tommy Nance and Jake Stinnett to the Pelicans' bullpen on Friday, the Birds are in great shape in the back end. While both of them threw on Saturday, the Birds have two members of the 'pen (Tyler Peyton and Ben Hecht) on four days of rest or more. The bullpen has been pitching well lately, owning a 2.33 ERA (7 ER in 27 IP) over the first six games of this homestand. Before the Down East series, the bullpen had a 4.28 ERA; it has now lowered to 3.88.

SEE YA BEACHES

The Pelicans have played a bunch of home games in the early part of the season. Through the first 30 games of the year, the Birds have played 20 games at TicketReturn.Com Field at Pelicans Ballpark and they will play their 21st today. In those games, Myrtle Beach is 6-14. Over the next 21 contests, Myrtle Beach will play just four home games, embarking on six-game and 11-game road trips from May 7-12 and May 17-27. Winston-Salem comes to the beach for a four-game set in between those trips.

PELICAN POINTS

The Pelicans 283 hits allowed are second in High-A to the 304 ceded by the Lancaster JetHawks (Rockies affiliate) of the California League...Jake Stinnett and Tommy Nance each threw two innings on Saturday without allowing any earned runs. Both relievers were with Myrtle Beach prior to 2018 and will return to Double-A Tennessee shortly....The Pelicans will enjoy a day off on Monday. It is just their second day off after 31 games play to start off the 2019 campaign.

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Carolina League Stories from May 5, 2019


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