CarL1 Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Pelicans Will Play Winston-Salem in Division Series

Published on August 29, 2008 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release


MYRTLE BEACH - The Myrtle Beach Pelicans tied the franchise record for wins with their 88th, 10-6, over the Kinston Indians in game one of a four-game series from BB&T Coastal Field. The historic victory equals the mark established by the 2000 Pelicans, the last Myrtle Beach team to win the Carolina League title.

With the victory, the Pelicans eliminated the Indians from post-season contention and will open the Carolina League Southern Division Series on Wednesday night at BB&T Coastal Field against the Winton-Salem Warthogs. The Pelicans also lowered their magic number to clinch the second half title to one and can claim the half championship with a win in any of their remaining three regular season games.

The K-Tribe jumped on Pelicans' starter Carlos Rivas in the top of the first inning, connecting on back-to-back home runs to race to a 4-0 lead. Singles from Niuman Romero and Jerad Goedert put two aboard ahead of Carlos Rivero who sent a low-flying home run to left field to put Kinston ahead, 3-0. Jared Head followed with a solo-blast to left-center field to run the lead to 4-0.

The Pelicans' response was immediate in the bottom of the inning against the K-Tribe starter Kelvin De La Cruz. De La Cruz set the table for the birds with two walks, before Ernesto Mejia contributed an RBI-double to put Myrtle Beach on the board. Eric Campbell followed with a two-run single to pull the Pelicans within a run as seven combined runs scored in the inning.

Myrtle Beach pulled even in the third, with an unearned charged to De La Cruz prior to his departure from the ballgame. Jason Heyward drove in the tying run with his first hit as a Pelican.

Heyward's single foreshadowed the fourth, as the Pelicans jumped on reliever Kyle Landis for four runs and their first lead. Landis walked Jon Mark Owings to start the inning and Chad Lundahl singled behind him. Travis Jones was hit with a pitch to load the bases before Mejia contributed another RBI with a single to give Myrtle Beach the lead. Heyward then cracked a two-run double off the wall in left field to give the Pelicans an 8-4 advantage.

Kinston got a run back in the fifth to force Rivas from the game, and added another off of reliever Tyler Wilson in the sixth to cut the Myrtle Beach lead to 8-6.

Howver, Mejia homered with one out in the seventh off of Mike Finocchi to bring the lead back to three, 9-6. The birds added another run in the seventh as Gorkys Hernandez singled off of Finocchi to score Concepcion Rodriguez with the Pelicans 10th run.

The series continues with game two on Saturday night at 7:05 PM. The Pelicans will send RHP Jaye Chapman (4-1, 2.70) against RHP Carlton Smith (11-6, 4.54) for Kinston.

Check out the Myrtle Beach Pelicans Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Carolina League Stories from August 29, 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.

OurSports Central