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 Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Rocks roll Pelicans, even series

July 9, 2006 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release


MYRTLE BEACH, SC - On Sunday evening at Coastal Federal Field the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (10-6, 45-41) stretch of late-inning heroics came to an end as the Wilmington Blue Rocks (8-8, 43-43) thwarted a 9th inning rally and held on to defeat the Birds, 5-3, in game two of the three game series. The Pelicans had two runners in scoring position with two outs in the 9th, but Wilmington closer Michael James struck out 1B Kala Ka'aihue to end the game.

Wilmington drew first blood, pushing across a run in the top of the 1st inning. After back-to-back singles from 3B Iggy Suarez and SS Jed Lowrie, 2B Jeff Natalee drove in the first run of the night with a sacrifice fly to deep left, bringing a tagging Suarez in from third, which put the Rocks up 1-0.

The visitors hung another run in the top of the 4th thanks to an RBI double to right field courtesy of LF Jeff Corsaletti. The first of three doubles on the night for Corsaletti gave the Blue Rocks a 2-0 advantage.

The Pelicans chopped Wilmington's lead in half in the bottom of the 5th. Singles from SS Diory Hernandez (pictured) and DH Mark Jurich put runners at first and second with no outs for one of the Pelicans hottest hitters, C Clint Sammons. Sammons continued his sizzling ways at the plate by lining an RBI single into centerfield to score Hernandez from second to make it 2-1.

Wilmington came right back in the top of the 6th and manufactured another run and again it would be Natalee that did the work. Natalee drove in his second run of the night with a single to right field, scoring Suarez who reached with a lead-off single, pushing the Rocks lead to 3-1.

In the bottom of the 7th the Pelicans brought the hometown crowd to their feet by tying the game at 3-3. For the second straight night Hernandez led an inning off by getting hit-by-a-pitch. He then moved to second on a single to right by Sammons and later scored on a single up the middle off the bat of LF Greg Creek. With the Pelicans down by just one run, Blue Rocks reliever Justin Sturge uncorked a wild pitch, which allowed Sammons to step on home plate with the tying run.

The score didn't stay tied for long as the Blue Rocks pieced together a top of the 8th, which proved to break the backs of the Birds in game two. Pelicans reliever Joey Devine walked the first two batters of the inning, Lowrie and Natalee, and then gave up a two-run double to Corsaletti, which cracked the tie and gave Wilmington a late 5-3 lead. Corsaletti's third two-bagger and third RBI of the night would be all the Rocks needed the rest of the way as the Pelicans were unable to come up with any late-inning magic on this night.

Pelicans starter James Parr looked sharp in his six innings on the mound, allowing three runs on seven hits, while walking just one and striking out four, but he did not factor into the decision. Devine (L, 0-1) took the loss after giving up the two-run double to Corsaletti in the 8th. Wilmington starter Gary Galvez tossed six innings and yielded just one run on five scattered hits with one walk and three K's, but took a no-decision, even after leaving with a lead. Sturge (W, 3-1) was credited with the win despite giving up two runs on a pair of hits in the 7th. Closer Michael James (S, 14) tossed a scoreless 9th and stranded the would-be tying run at second to pick up his team-leading 14th save.

The Pelicans were led at the plate by Hernandez who went 2-3 and scored three runs in his second game since coming off the DL. Sammons added a 2-4 effort with a run and an RBI. The Pelicans had 10 hits, but stranded 10 runners on the base paths in the loss.

On Monday night the Pelicans take on the Blue Rocks in the rubber game of the three-game series at 7:02 pm. The first 1,000 fans to enter the gates will receive a FREE Jose Ascanio collectible mini-bobblehead sponsored by The Myrtle Beach Pavilion. It's collectible bobblehead #3 of 5 this summer. Don't forget that "Baseball The Musical" will take place July 13th, 14th, and 15th at Coastal Federal Field during the Pelicans current 7-game homestand.


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Carolina League Stories from July 9, 2006


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