CarL1 Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Pelicans Take Wild Rubber Game from Salem

Published on May 26, 2011 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release


MYRTLE BEACH, SC - It's been a heart-rending couple of nights, but the Pelicans will take it. Mike Olt's mammoth home run tied the game in the eighth before Jared Prince's infield single scored Mitch Hilligoss from second base as the Birds pulled out a see-saw 5-4 win over Salem at BB&T Coastal Field. The victory gives Myrtle Beach a series win and a two-game lead over the rival Red Sox.

After squandering two leads in the middle innings, the Pelicans were down 4-3 with two down in the eighth. Down to their final four outs, the Pelicans got the big hit they needed when Olt crushed a towering home run to left to even the game against Salem righty Tom Ebert. Hilligoss followed with a single and after Vinny DiFazio walked in his return from the disabled list, Ebert was removed for Jeremiah Bayer.

That set the stage for Prince, who grounded a roller to third baseman Kolbrin Vitek. Prince beat the throw to first with a headfirst dive while Hilligoss, who never stopped running from second base, hustled home with the go-ahead run to cap the wild rally.

Zach Osborne (S, 2) entered in the ninth for Myrtle Beach and finished a 1-2-3 inning by striking out Vitek swinging to give the Pelicans a much-needed victory.

The game began as a phenomenal duel between Pelicans southpaw Robbie Ross and Salem right-hander Chris Balcom-Miller. Ross retired the first 12 batters through four innings. Balcom-Miller was perfect for three before the Birds broke out with an unearned run in the fourth that came in on catcher Mark Wagner's throwing error that scored Jared Hoying from third.

Salem tied the game in the fifth when Wagner singled in Reynaldo Rodriguez. The Pelicans answered right back in the home half when after Prince led off with a walk and Santiago Chirino singled, Leury Garcia doubled home Prince and Hoying knocked in Chirino with a sacrifice fly.

The relentless Red Sox evened the score again in their next at bat when Rodriguez laced a two-out, two-run single to tie the game at three.

Salem got some breaks as they took the lead in the seventh. After Ross was knocked out after six and a third innings, Johan Yan came in with two men aboard and loaded the bases with one out. He recorded one big out but Wilfredo Pichardo reached on an infield single behind the mound to put the Red Sox in front 5-4.

Yan was in trouble in the eighth as well when Salem loaded the bases with nobody out and threatened to break the game open. After a fielder's choice force out at the plate, Yan struck out Shannon Wilkerson swinging and Derrik Gibson looking to complete the great escape.

That left the door open for the Pelicans' comeback against Ebert (1-3). The rally handed a well-deserved win to Yan (2-2) and sent the Red Sox reeling to their 16th loss in their last 20 games. Myrtle Beach improves to 27-19 with a 15-7 mark at BB&T Coastal Field.

The Pelicans will open up a three-game weekend matchup of the Carolina League's two division leaders on Friday night against the Wilmington Blue Rocks. The visitors will send ace Jake Odorizzi, the prized prospect the Royals received from Milwaukee in the Zack Greinke deal, to the hill against Pelicans righty Wilfredo Boscan. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. on Friday. Tickets for all Pelicans home games are available at the BB&T Coastal Field box office, MyrtleBeachPelicans.com, and by phone at 843-918-6000 or 877-918-TIXX.

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Carolina League Stories from May 26, 2011


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