CarL1 Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Salty Ties RBI Record, Birds Fall In Fourteen

Published on September 3, 2005 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release


MYRTLE BEACH, SC- On Saturday night the Myrtle Beach Pelicans led by five runs, but could not hold on as the Kinston Indians came from behind and scored nine unanswered runs in a marathon 14 inning game, stealing game one of the final series of the year, 9-5. One bright spot in the loss was C Jarrod Saltalamacchia tying his teammate RF Matt Esquivel for the single season Pelicans club record for the most RBI in one season with 81. The two are tied at 81 with two games remaining in the '05 season.

Myrtle Beach started the scoring in the bottom of the 4th inning thanks to back-to-back doubles. With one out RF Steven Doetsch laced a double down the right field line. With Doetsch at second, C Jarrod Saltalamacchia laced a double into left, scoring Doetsch to make the score 1-0.

An inning later the Pelicans extended their lead with a cluster of runs. With the bases loaded and no outs, SS Diory Hernandez looped a deep fly ball to centerfield, which was deep enough to score the first run of the inning, giving the Birds a 2-0 advantage. After the sacrifice fly RBI from Hernandez, Doetsch followed suit by driving another run in on a sacrifice fly. The back-to-back sacrifice fly balls jumped the Pelicans lead 3-0. Back on August 10th against the Kinston Indians, Esquivel broke Marcus Giles' single season RBI record of 73. Tonight Saltalamacchia made history, tying Esquivel with an RBI double to deep left-centerfield to give the Pelicans a 4-0 lead. The record had stood since 1999, but this year two Pelicans have eclipsed the mark and both are battling for the rights to be named the record holder. The Birds capped off their four-run 5th inning with an RBI single from 3B Greg Creek to extend the lead to 5-0.

The Pelicans lead slowly but surely disappeared as the K-Tribe chipped away late in the ballgame. Kinston scored three runs in the top of the 6th inning to pull within two runs, 5-3. The inning was highlighted by a two-run triple from LF Brian Barton. The Tribe then tied the game in the top of the 9th when CF Argenis Reyes roped a line drive to right field, scoring RF Mike Conroy, who singled earlier in the frame.

In extra innings the two rivals did not score a run until the top of the 14th when the Indians plated four runs and put the game away. An RBI double from 2B Luis Cotto, another RBI single from Reyes and a pair of sacrifice fly RBI's, one from 3B Rodney Choy Foo and the other courtesy of 1B Stephen Head gave Kinston the lead for good.

Kinston reliever Matt Davis (W, 4-6) earned the win after tossing the final two innings of the game in scoreless fashion, while Myrtle Beach reliever Wes Letson (L, 2-4) took the loss. Letson gave up four runs on five hits in four innings of relief.

Today (Sunday, September 4th) the Pelicans take on the Kinston Indians at 2:02 pm with the gates opening up at 1:02 pm. Tickets are available by calling 843-918-6000 or by ordering online at www.myrtlebeachpelicans.com. The Pelicans are in the midst of their final series of the season with just 2 games left! Get your tickets now, it's your last chance to see the 2005 Pelicans. In response to the recent tragedy of Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf Coast states, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans will be raising funds for much-needed medicines, non-perishable food items, and water for victims of the disaster during their last three home games.

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Carolina League Stories from September 3, 2005


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