CarL1 Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Ross, Yan Combine to Shut out Hillcats

Published on May 14, 2011 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release


MYRTLE BEACH, SC - The Myrtle Beach Pelicans reached the halfway point of the season's first half on Saturday in front-running fashion. Robbie Ross's six shutout innings led the way and Mike Olt's two-run homer powered the Pelicans to a 6-0 win on Saturday. With the Salem Red Sox falling in extra innings to Winston-Salem, the Birds moved into a first-place tie in the Southern Division.

The Pelicans jumped on Carolina League ERA leader Chris Masters early in the first inning. After Ryan Strausborger walked with two out and stole second base, Mike Olt crushed a long home run over the left field bleachers to give the Birds a 2-0 lead.

They added another run off Masters in the second when Zach Zaneski doubled to start the frame and Jared Bolden followed with a double of his own to make it a 3-0 game. Leury Garcia laced a two-run single in the fourth as well to provide more support for the starter Ross.

The left-hander was stellar as he did not allow a run in six innings. He gave up six hits, walked two and equaled his season-high with six strikeouts. Ross (5-1) becomes the first hurler in the Carolina League to reach the five-win mark. After starting the year with 18 consecutive scoreless innings, he hit a rough patch in two starts against Potomac as he surrendered 11 runs in a five-inning stretch. He has since bounced back, allowing just one run over his last 16 innings, lowering his ERA to 2.79.

Johan Yan entered in relief of Ross in the seventh with a 5-0 lead. The sidewinding righty was outstanding once again as he retired the first six men he faced before hitting Joe Leonard to start the ninth. Yan set down the next three batters he faced, the last two on strikes, to record his fourth save of the season.

The Pelicans last three wins have come against pitchers with paltry ERA's. In the second game of a doubleheader on Wednesday they beat Brett Brach of Kinston, who had entered the game with a 1.25 ERA. On Thursday Drew Pomeranz, who ranked second in the league in ERA at the time, did not get out of the fifth as the Pelicans swept the Indians. The Birds had a tough assignment against Masters (3-1) but they knocked him around for five runs on nine hits in five innings.

Olt had a single to go along with his homer, making him one of four Pelicans with multiple hits in the game, joining Zaneski, Jared Prince and Jared Hoying.

The rubber game between the Pelicans and Hillcats will end the six-game homestand at BB&T Coastal Field on Sunday. Wilfredo Boscan makes his first start for the Pelicans against lefty Dimasther Delgado of Lynchburg. First pitch at BB&T Coastal Field is scheduled for 3:05 p.m. 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 14, 2011


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