CarL1 Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Sox Come Back Seals Series Split

Published on July 5, 2009 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release


MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - It was another comeback win in the series finale of four games between the Pelicans and Salem Red Sox, but unlike Saturday's Fourth of July contest, it was the Salem Red Sox claiming victory in the late innings.

The Sox took down the Pelicans 6-4, rallying from three runs down in the sixth, to earn a split of the four-game series in front of 3,946 fans at BB&T Coastal Field.

Salem led early and late, but it was the Pelicans who seemingly had control of the game in the middle innings. The Sox plated a run in the game's first half-inning after Che-Hsuan Lin singled, stole second and went to third on a throwing error by Pelicans catcher Benji Johnson. Lin scored on an RBI groundout by Jason Place. The Pelicans took their first lead in a two-run third on an RBI groundout by Cody Johnson scoring Michael Fisher and a run-scoring single by Donell Linares plating Luis Sumoza.

With another postgame fireworks show set for the series finale, Johnson and Linares provided some fireworks of their own in the bottom of the fifth. The Pelicans' left fielder hit his Minor League Baseball-leading 22nd home run of the season leading off the inning, and on the very next pitch, Linares unloaded on an Eammon Portice offering, driving his seventh longball out to left-center field to give Myrtle Beach a 4-1 lead. It was the third time the Birds have hit back-to-back jacks this year and the second time Johnson and Linares have provided the shots.

Southpaw Jose Ortegano got the start for Myrtle Beach after scheduled starter Richard Sullivan was called up to AA Mississippi. Ortegano went three innings, allowing one run on three hits, striking out three without issuing a walk. The Venezuelan left-hander went two innings in starting the series opener of this four-game set while working his way back from the disabled list.Following his departure, three Pelicans relievers got work with Brandon Beachy throwing two and a third before giving way to Rudy Darrow and Mikey Mehlich. Salem broke through against Beachy and Darrow in the sixth, smacking four singles and scoring three runs to tie the game at four. With the game still knotted, Mehlich couldn't hold the line in the eighth, surrendering doubles to Lin and Luis Exposito sandwiched around a walk to Jason Place. Lin and Place scored on Exposito's knock to give Salem a 6-4 lead it would not relinquish.

Robert Coello worked two innings of scoreless, one-hit relief as his team wrestled the lead back. Coello (3-2) got the win with Kyle Fernandes and Derrick Loop (S, 10) working the eighth and ninth to nail down the victory. The loss kept the Pelicans two games back in the Carolina League Southern Division and dropped their second-half record to 6-5.

After a day off Monday, Myrtle Beach welcomes the Potomac Nationals for three games at BB&T Coastal Field Tuesday through Thursday. Tickets are available at the BB&T Coastal Field box office, by calling the Pelicans at (843) 918-6000 or by visiting the Tickets page at MyrtleBeachPelicans.com.

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Carolina League Stories from July 5, 2009


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