CarL1 Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Sloppy Opener Ends with Potomac Walk-Off Win

Published on May 2, 2011 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release


WOODBRIDGE, VA - Despite a brilliant starting pitching performance from right-hander Barret Loux, who struck out ten and didn't allow a run on one hit over five and two-thirds innings of work, the Pelicans couldn't capitalize on a rash of opportunities both early and late, falling to the Potomac Nationals 3-2 in the first game of four at G. Richard Pfitzner Stadium on Monday night.

Chances to jump on top in the early going of Monday's opener came relatively often for the Pelicans who left a combined seven men on the basepaths through the evening's first four frames. Myrtle Beach's most frustrating offensive inning came in the third when the Pelicans went backwards from runners at second and third and nobody out to runners at first and second with two outs, eventually stranding the bases loaded.

Trying to pick up a struggling offense, starter Loux cruised against the Nationals. Though he pitched with substantial traffic through most of the night, the right-hander became the second Pelicans pitcher this year to record ten strikeouts after Robbie Erlin's equal outing against the Nationals last week.

Potomac finally broke through against Pelicans reliever Trevor Hurley in the seventh without the aid of a hit. Sandy Leon reached with a leadoff four-pitch walk and went to third when Jose Lozada tried to give himself up on a sacrifice bunt but reached and went to second on an errant throw from Pelicans third baseman Mike Olt. Leon later scored on a Hurley wild pitch to give the Nationals the lead. Potomac added another in the eighth on an RBI single by J.P. Ramirez scoring Steven Souza.

Leading 2-0 heading into the ninth, Potomac manager Matthew LeCroy went to right-hander Adam Olbrychowski. The right-hander who had allowed two runs in each of two consecutive appearances against the Pelicans last week in Myrtle Beach didn't escape the Birds on Monday. After a one-out walk issued to Jared Prince, scorching-hot Jared Bolden rocketed his first home run of the season out to right field, a two-run shot that drew the Pelicans even at 2-2. Though Myrtle Beach got the potential go-ahead run to scoring position later in the inning, they got no more thanks to Potomac reliever Joe Testa (1-0) recording the inning's final out.

In the ninth, facing Pelicans reliever Kennil Gomez (0-1), Chris Curran singled with one out and went station to station to score the game-winning run, advancing to second on a Francisco Soriano walk, third on a Jeff Kobernus fielder's choice that was nearly an inning-ending double play, and home on Destin Hood's RBI single. The Pelicans went 0-for-7 on the night with runners in scoring position while Hood's single was Potomac's second such hit in 14 chances in the 3-2 win.

The Pelicans and Nationals meet Tuesday morning for an 11:05 a.m. game at Pfitzner Stadium with Myrtle Beach lefty Robbie Ross (2-1, 2.61) taking on Nationals' southpaw (1-1, 4.61).

Tickets for all Pelicans home games can be purchased by visiting the BB&T Coastal Field Box office, the Tickets page at MyrtleBeachPelicans.com, or by calling (843)918-6000 or (877)918-TIXX.

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Carolina League Stories from May 2, 2011


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