CarL1 Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Pelicans Win Wild Weekend Set Over Wilmington

Published on April 10, 2011 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release


MYRTLE BEACH, SC - In a Sunday doubleheader of sorts, the Pelicans fell in the continuation of Saturday's suspended game 7-6 in 11 innings, but came back to take the finale 4-3 over the Wilmington Blue Rocks at BB&T Coastal Field.

The Blue Rocks won the first game thanks to RBI doubles from John Whittleman and Tim Ferguson in the 11th. They were down to their final three outs in the ninth on Saturday before Rey Navarro capped his four-hit game with a monstrous home run in a downpour to tie the game and bring about the rain delay. After 32 minutes, the game was suspended.

Play resumed at 2 PM on Sunday with the score tied at five in the top of the ninth. The Pelicans' Kennil Gomez and Kelvin Herrera of Wilmington traded zeroes through the ninth and tenth innings. Joe Ortiz came in to pitch the top of the 11th and Navarro reached on a throwing error by shortstop Leury Garcia.

Whittleman ripped a double into the right field corner to score Navarro and put the Blue Rocks in front at 6-5. Tim Ferguson followed with a bloop double to bring in Whittleman for an important insurance run and a two-tally advantage.

The Birds battled back to score one run in the bottom of the 11th, but Garcia bounced out to first to end the game with Jared Bolden at second.

Mike Olt's three-run home run capped a four-run rally in the fifth to give the Pelicans the lead and it stood up until Navarro's blast.

For the Pelicans, McGuiness and catcher Zach Zaneski each notched two hits. The speedster Garcia followed up his two-steal game Friday with three pilfers on Saturday.

The second game began with a good duel between Barret Loux of the Pelicans and Wilmington's Jake Odorizzi. Loux, who gained notoriety following his much-publicized contract issues with the Arizona Diamondbacks following last year's MLB Draft, went five and one-third innings, allowing three runs and striking out five in his professional debut. Odorizzi, the prized prospect returned to the Royals in the trade that sent former Kansas City ace Zack Greinke to the Milwaukee Brewers, went four innings in his first game of the year. The righty gave up one run on four hits, walking one and whiffing six.

The Blue Rocks scored two in the third on a wild pitch and a Navarro triple. Vinny DiFazio got the Birds on the board in the fourth with an RBI double, but Tim Ferguson singled in a run to put Wilmington up 3-1 in the sixth.

Myrtle Beach got back into it with a run in the seventh that scored on a Whittleman throwing error. Ryan Strausborger led off the eighth with a double and after moving to third on a groundout, scampered home with the tying run on a Brendan Lafferty wild pitch. Olt worked a walk and moved up on a balk and that set the stage for DiFazio. His third hit of the game was a single to left that brought in Olt to give the Birds their first lead of the day.

After two terrific plays at second base to start the ninth by second baseman Andres James, who was making his 2011 debut, Tyler Tufts recorded the final for his first save.

Chad Bell (1-0), tossed two and two-thirds innings of one-hit scoreless ball to pick up the relief win. Lafferty (0-1) went four innings in relief of Odorizzi, but he took the tough loss as the Blue Rocks drop two out of three to open the season.

The Birds have a day off on Monday before starting a six-game road trip on Tuesday, with the first of three games in Frederick. Lefty Robbie Ross, who pitched a scoreless inning of relief on Opening Day, goes in the series opener. Wilmington continues their road trip on Monday in Kinston.

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 April 10, 2011


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