Birds win another comeback at Salem
SALEM, VA. (APRIL 21, 2014) - With another come-from-behind victory, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, took home their fifth consecutive road win of the year from LewisGale Field on Tuesday. The Birds have four comeback wins this season, and three of those efforts have been from the seventh inning or later.
Pelicans starter Jen-Ho Tseng, who won his first start against Salem (4-7) one week ago, allowed four consecutive hits to begin the first inning. Center fielder Manuel Margot hit a double down the left field line before fellow outfielder Forrestt Allday followed suit with a two-bagger to the same spot. Allday was then thrown out trying to steal third base. First baseman Sam Travis tripled to center field, and right fielder Aneury Tavarez knocked him with another hit up the middle to give the Red Sox a 2-0 lead.
Tseng then settled in, allowing just three more base runners in his final 3 1/3 innings. He finished his outing with three strikeouts and one walk, inducing one double play along the way.
Pelicans catcher Ben Carhart tied the contest in the second inning. First baseman Jacob Rogers walked to start the frame before Carhart lined his second home run of the year over the left field fence, tying the game at 2-2.
In the fourth, center fielder Jacob Hannemann reached on a one out single before designated hitter Billy McKinney drove him in for the Birds' first lead of the game.
Salem rallied in the sixth with a walk, three hits, and a sacrifice fly to plate a pair of runs and grab a 4-3 lead.
Yet the Pelicans (8-3) responded by batting around in the seventh. Right fielder Mark Zagunis reached on a throwing error by Tzu-Wei Lin to begin the comeback. Third baseman Jeimer Candelario knocked Zagunis in with a double to right field to tie the game before he moved to third on a wild pitch. Rogers gave the Birds the lead by grounding into a fielder's choice, and Red Sox second baseman Wendell Rijo made an errant throw to the plate, allowing Rogers to take second base. Carhart followed with a walk, as second baseman Daniel Lockhart singled in a run to widen the lead for Myrtle Beach. Shortstop Carlos Penalver capped the scoring when he drove in Carhart with a sacrifice fly to put the Pelicans ahead 7-4.
Right-hander James Pugliese (1-0) came out of the bullpen and collected his first win of the season, pitching 2 2/3 scoreless innings. Jorge Marban (0-1) took the loss for Salem over 2 2/3 innings of work, walking four and allowing five hits and five runs to score, including four in the seventh inning. Only one of those runs was earned as the Red Sox defense committed two errors behind him in the four-run seventh.
Jasvir Rakkar picked up his first save in his first appearance with the Pelicans after arriving with the club on Sunday.
The Pelicans wrap up their series with the Red Sox on Wednesday morning with the first pitch from LewisGale Field scheduled for 11:05 a.m. ET. Pelicans right-hander Jonathan Martinez (0-0, 1.50) gets the start, while the Red Sox call upon right-hander Jake Dahlstrand (2-0, 1.50).
The game can be heard live on 1450 WRNN-AM ESPN Myrtle Beach, on the TuneIn Radio App, and via the MiLB First Pitch App, beginning with the Pregame Show at 10:45 a.m. ET.
The 2015 season marks the 17th season for the Pelicans franchise and first as the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. For information on tickets to see the Pelicans in 2015, please call (843) 918-6000, e-mail [email protected], or visit www.MyrtleBeachPelicans.com.