CarL1 Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Seven-Run Sixth Keys Wilmington Rout

Published on August 31, 2010 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release


WILMINGTON, DE - The Pelicans were in the driver's seat until the bottom of the sixth inning in a Tuesday night affair at Frawley Stadium in Wilmington when Blue Rocks designated hitter Wil Myers elbowed them out of the car.

Myers's first grand slam as a member of the Blue Rocks capped off a seven-run sixth, and Wilmington never looked back, riding eight unanswered tallies to a series-evening 9-4 win over the Pelicans in game two of this four-game set in Delaware.

The Pelicans didn't trail in this series until that sixth inning, and Myrtle Beach got its offense started early Tuesday night. Cole Miles, back in the leadoff spot with Tuesday's promotion of shortstop Mycal Jones and outfielder L.V. Ware to Double-A Mississippi, doubled to kick off the evening and scored on a Gerry Rodriguez sacrifice fly two batters later to give the Pelicans a 1-0 lead.

After Wilmington tied things in the third on a sacrifice fly of their own, this one by Christian Colon scoring Rene Oriental, Cody Johnson took the lead back for the Birds. Johnson smoked his fifth Carolina League homer of the season to right field, a three-run shot that cashed in back-to-back leadoff singles by Rodriguez and Mike Jones, and the Pelicans held the edge again at 4-1.

The Blue Rocks chipped away with another run in the fifth before exploding in the sixth. Trailing 4-2, Wilmington got a lift to open that fateful frame when Nick Francis, who had crushed a foul ball and then flied out to the warning track in the second inning against Pelicans starter Cory Rasmus, homered over the Pelicans bullpen to draw his club to within one. Six of the next seven men reached and scored in the inning with Salvador Perez, Rey Navarro, and Rene Oriental getting on via an error and two walks immediately following Francis's homer to spell an end to Rasmus's day. Adrian Ortiz greeted Pelicans reliever Andrew Wilson with a first-pitch, opposite-field double to score two, and Wilmington took its first lead of the series at 5-4. Following a walk to Christian Colon to reload the bases, Myers stepped in and crushed a 2-2 Wilson offering into the Birds' bullpen to blow things open at 9-4. Rasmus (0-3) was charged with six runs, five earned, on seven hits over five and a third innings. Wilson (BS, 3), took the other three, all of them earned, as the Blue Rocks matched a season high for a Myrtle Beach opponent with their seven-run frame.

Wilmington starter Bryan Paukovits didn't last through the sixth, lifted with one out in that inning and a man aboard. Behind him, though, lefty reliever Brendan Lafferty (3-1) picked up the victory with two and two-thirds innings of scoreless relief. He whiffed four men without a walk.

Coupled with a Tuesday night win by the Kiunston Indians at Frederick, the Pelicans' loss reduces their magic number for playoff elimination to two. The Pelicans look to bounce back Wednesday night in the third game of this four-game set when they send southpaw Matt Crim (7-10, 4.88) against Wilmington right-hander and 2009 first round draft pick Aaron Crow (1-2, 5.79) at 6:35.

The Pelicans return to Myrtle Beach for their final regular season series of 2010 on Saturday, September 4 against the Lynchburg Hillcats. For tickets, contact the Pelicans box office at (843)918-6000, (877)918-TIXX or stop by BB&T Coastal Field.

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Carolina League Stories from August 31, 2010


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