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CarL1 Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Wieland Leads Birds to Fourth Straight Win

May 28, 2011 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release


MYRTLE BEACH, SC - After three consecutive wild one-run victories, the Pelicans had a much smoother ride on Saturday. Joe Wieland threw seven shutout innings of five-hit ball and was backed by homers from Jared Prince, Vinny DiFazio and Mike Olt as the Birds beat the Wilmington Blue Rocks 4-0 for their fourth straight win. Myrtle Beach now leads the South by four and a half games.

Wieland (5-3) was brilliant again for the Pelicans, lowering his Carolina League-leading ERA to 1.53. He struck out nine Blue Rocks to pass Wilmington's Jake Odorizzi for the league lead in strikeouts with 70. For the seventh straight start, the right-hander did not walk a batter. He's racked up 60 strikeouts over a 48 and one-third inning span since his last base on balls, issued on April 18 against Winston-Salem.

The offense gave Wieland some support early in the second inning against Wilmington starter Noel Arguelles when Prince belted a solo home run, his third of the season, to put the Birds ahead 1-0.

Vinny DiFazio helped his pitcher in the fourth, clubbing his first home run of the season to stake the Pelicans to a 2-0 lead. Mike Olt added on in the sixth with a monstrous two-run homer to left that doubled the lead to 4-0. Frustrated by the three Pelican long balls, Arguelles responded by throwing behind the next batter DiFazio and was immediately ejected by home plate umpire Thomas Newsom.

Arguelles (2-2) took the loss in five and one-third innings, allowing four runs on seven hits, striking out three with one walk. Michael Mariot finished the game for the Blue Rocks with two and two-thirds scoreless frames.

The Blue Rocks threatened a few times off of Wieland. John Whittleman doubled to lead off the second and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt, but Wieland stranded him there to end the inning. The biggest jam was in the fifth, when after Alex McClure reached on a Leury Garcia fielding error, Juan Graterol doubled to put runners at second and third with nobody out. Wieland buckled down with a strikeout of Joey Lewis, a foul popout from Deivy Batista and a Yem Prades groundout to hold a 2-0 lead.

The last time Wilmington came close was the top of the sixth when it was still 2-0. Carlo Testa was at second with two out when Tim Ferguson singled up the middle. Centerfielder Ryan Strausborger fielded and fired a perfect throw to the plate and DiFazio laid the tag on Testa to end the inning and preserve the shutout.

Southpaws Kasey Kiker and Chad Bell both worked a scoreless inning of relief to finish off the Blue Rocks. After being swept in Wilmington last weekend, Myrtle Beach has a chance to return the favor tomorrow.

The Pelicans will go for the three-game sweep tomorrow night. With Robbie Erlin promoted to Double-A Frisco, right-hander Justin Grimm has been called up from low-A Hickory to make the start for the Pelicans. He will be opposed by Wilmington righty Elisaul Pimentel. First pitch at BB&T Coastal Field is scheduled for 6:05 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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