Sabourin's Cycle Highlights Record Win, 17-2

Myrtle Beach, S.C. - Jerrud Sabourin became the fourth player in franchise history, and first since 2002, to hit for the cycle as the Carolina Mudcats blasted the Myrtle Beach Pelicans 17-2 on Saturday night at TicketReturn.com Field. The Mudcats (18-12, 47-50) increased their lead in the Carolina League Southern Division to two games over the Pelicans (16-14, 60-38).

The Mudcats set several high marks in the romp. Jeremy Lucas joined Matt Holliday (2002) and Cameron Maybin (2008) as the only Mudcats to score five times in one game. The 17 runs were a new Carolina League era record for the club and the winning margin of 15 runs was the largest since joining the CL in 2012. The team finished with 18 hits, a new season best. Also, all nine batters recorded at least one hit and one RBI.

Alex Monsalve finished with three hits and fell a triple short of the cycle. He collected four RBI for the third time this year.

Ryan Merritt (10-3) notched the win after holding the Pelicans to a pair of runs on four hits across 6 2/3 innings. He became the first pitcher in the CL to reach the 10-win club and tied Mike Rayl (2012) for the most wins by a Mudcats pitcher since joining the historic circuit. The left-hander also set a new season-high with nine strikeouts and did not walk a batter. Merritt hit two batters, however, and surrendered two solo home runs.

The Pelicans' Luis Parra (7-6) was pummeled in the loss, yielding 11 runs on 10 hits in 4 1/3 innings. Kevin Pucetas finished the game, relenting six runs on eight hits over 4 2/3 stanzas.

Alex Monsalve cracked the seal with a run-scoring double in the second inning. After Preston Beck tied the game on a solo shot in the bottom of the frame, the Mudcats unleashed 12 runs over the next three innings.

Joe Sever brought in a run with a groundout and Yandy Diaz tripled in another to put the Mudcats ahead 3-1 in the third. Lucas drew a walk and then Monsalve belted a line-drive missile out to left. The Venezuelan's fourth homer of 2014 put the Mudcats up 6-1. Sabourin immediately followed with a booming fly out to left for a 7-1 lead.

The Mudcats went quietly in the fourth, but rebounded with six more in the fifth. Lucas clubbed a solo shot out to left for his eighth of the year. Monsalve, Sabourin and Medina followed with consecutive singles to bring around another run. Pucetas relieved Parra, but proved no help. Todd Hankins drew a walk off the knuckler and Erik Gonzalez followed with a base on balls to force in another run. Sever bounced a hit into right field scoring two more and Gonzalez came across on a throwing error by Preston Beck for a 13-1 lead.

Hankins plated a run in the sixth inning on a soft bouncer up the third base line and Sabourin tripled home two in the seventh for a 16-1 advantage. Jorge Alfaro cracked a dinger off Merritt in the last of the seventh to end the scoring for Myrtle Beach.

Sabourin finished off the cycle when a ground rule double that kicked off the third base bag in the ninth. He scored on a two-bagger by Luigi Rodriguez to polish off the win.

The Mudcats look to clinch their first series win in Myrtle Beach on Sunday. First pitch against the Pelicans is set for 6:05 p.m. at TicketReturn.com Field. Carolina returns home to host the Wilmington Blue Rocks for the final time in a three-game series July 22-24. Tickets and other information are available by calling the box office at (919) 269-2287 or by logging on to carolinamudcats.com