CarL1 Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Zaneski single extends hit streak to 15 and gives Birds' 4-3 win

Published on July 15, 2011 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release


MYRTLE BEACH, SC - The Myrtle Beach bats were dormant for six innings against Anthony Ranaudo and the Salem Red Sox, but came to life as they scored three runs in the seventh to tie the game. Travis Adair led off the tenth with a triple and scored on Zach Zaneski's walk-off single as the Pelicans pulled out their fifth walk-off win of the season 4-3 at BB&T Coastal Field on Friday.

The Birds seemingly had it won in regulation. With runners at the corners and one out in the bottom of the ninth, Jared Bolden hit a flare up the middle that was snagged by shortstop Derrik Gibson, who started the inning-ending double play. The frustration would not continue in the next frame.

After Adair's rope into the right field corner put the winning run 90 feet away with nobody out against reliever Jeremiah Bayer (5-2), Jared Prince walked and took second on defensive indifference. With men at second and third and Zach Zaneski ahead in the count 3-0, the Red Sox elected to continue the at bat. Bayer dealt two strikes to fill up the count, but Zaneski ripped the payoff pitch into the gap in right-center field to plate Adair and give the Birds the win. After going hitless in his first four trips, Zaneski ran his hitting streak to 15 games, the third-longest run in the Carolina League this season.

The walk-off knock gave the Pelicans their third straight win on the heels of a disappointing 3-7 road trip. The Birds will go for a four-game sweep of their Southern Division rivals tomorrow night.

There was a mild benches-clearing incident in the second inning instigated by Ranaudo. The pitcher hit David Paisano and started shouting at him as he made his way to first base. Paisano started approaching the pitcher's mound as the benches and bullpens emptied. Cooler heads prevailed as both coaching staffs and umpires Carlos Torres and Thomas Newsom took control of the situation.

The Pelicans could not get anything going in the first six frames against Ranaudo. The right-hander shut down Myrtle Beach on three hits before the Birds got to him in the seventh. Santiago Chirino, Jared Hoying and Paisano ripped three straight doubles to start the inning and knock the starter out of the game. Bayer came on with a 3-2 lead and got two outs, but Bolden singled in Leury Garcia with the tying run to make it a brand new game.

Ryan Kelly was terrific in three innings of relief. He tossed a 1-2-3 sixth and wriggled out of a second-and-third, no-out jam in the seventh that left the door open for the Myrtle Beach comeback. Kelly posted another perfect frame in the eighth before handing it to Zach Osborne. Salem put two on with one down in the ninth, but Osborne worked out of trouble and capped a 1-2-3 tenth with a strikeout of Bryce Brentz to set up Zaneski's heroics.

As the Pelicans did the first two nights, the Red Sox took the lead in the first inning. Derrik Gibson led off the game with an infield single, stole second and came around to score on a Jorge Padron single, then Dan Butler's sacrifice fly gave Salem a quick 2-0 lead against starter Justin Grimm.

Gibson and Padron teamed up for another run in the third. As he did in the opening frame, Gibson reached on an infield hit, stole second and scored on a Padron single. After falling behind 3-0, Grimm settled in and set down eight of the final nine men he faced. On the night, the righty allowed three runs, two earned, in five innings of work, walking one and striking out four.

The four-game set concludes Saturday night with a good pitching matchup as right-hander Barret Loux (8-4, 3.29) goes for the Birds against Salem lefty Chris Hernandez (8-5, 2.94). First pitch at BB&T Coastal Field is scheduled for 7:05 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.

Check out the Myrtle Beach Pelicans Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Carolina League Stories from July 15, 2011


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central