Happ, Vosler reach base three times in 6-3 loss to Mudcats

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (April 22, 2016) - Ian Happ and Jason Vosler each reached base three times, but the Myrtle Beach Pelicans fell to the Carolina Mudcats 6-3 in a rain-shortened contest Friday at TicketReturn.com Field at Pelicans Ballpark.

Seven of the nine runs were scored in the first two innings of the game. With two outs in the top of the first, Dansby Swanson walked before Jordan Edgerton doubled him home to make it 1-0 Carolina (7-9). Braxton Davidson was the next hitter and lined a double to the left center gap to make it 2-0.

Myrtle Beach (8-8) got the offense going in the bottom of the inning, when Gleyber Torres, who had two hits, and Happ singled off Carolina starter Enderson Franco (1-1). Two batters later, Vosler singled home Torres to make it 2-1. Jeffrey Baez followed and popped a flare to shallow right to score Happ and tie the game at two.

However, Carolina came right back in the second inning against Myrtle Beach starter Erick Leal (2-1). After walks to Stephen Gaylor and Keith Curcio, Omar Obregon doubled down the right field line to drive in two and make it 4-2 Mudcats.

In the bottom of the second, Torres singled again with two outs before advancing to second on a wild pitch. Happ followed and cracked a double to the wall in left center, cutting the Muddies lead to one.

From there, Franco and Pelicans reliever Tyler Ihrig would trade zeroes until the seventh. Ihrig worked 4.2 frames of hitless ball out of the bullpen in his first appearance in 2016 with Myrtle Beach.

The Mudcats tacked on an insurance run in the seventh on a balk before Davidson homered to begin the eighth.

Friday's contest snapped a six-game losing streak for Carolina.

The Mudcats and Pelicans will meet again on Saturday, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05. All kids 12 & under will have a chance to take home on the 100 bikes the Pelicans will be giving away. In addition, the Birds will wear commemorative jerseys on Special Olympics Night, with a jersey auction to benefit Special Olympics. The evening will be capped with an East Coast Pyrotechnics Fireworks Show on a Locals Appreciation Saturday. Jake Stinnett (1-0, 3.27 ERA) will get the ball for Myrtle Beach while Ryan Lawlor (1-0, 2.84 ERA) will start for the Mudcats. Coverage begins at 6:50pm. on MyrtleBeachPelicans.com and the TuneIn App.

The 2016 season is the 18th season for the Pelicans franchise and second as the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. For information on tickets to see the Pelicans in 2016, please call (843) 918-6000, e-mail [email protected], or visit www.MyrtleBeachPelicans.com.

ABOUT THE PELICANS: The Myrtle Beach Pelicans are the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Chicago Cubs and play their home games at TicketReturn.Com Field at Pelicans Ballpark in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The park has ranked in the top eight in all of Minor League Baseball by Stadium Journey in each of the last five seasons. The same publication also placed the Pelicans in the Top 100 Stadium Experiences in all of sports in each of the last five years and the best in the Carolina League for five straight seasons as well. In May 2015, TicketReturn.Com Field at Pelicans Ballpark won the 2015 TripAdvisor.com Certificate of Excellence award. The Pelicans are the defending Mills Cup Champions, winning the title in 2015 as well as 2000 and co-Mills Cup championship honors in the inaugural 1999 season. The Pelicans have made nine postseason appearances behind 11 half-season Southern Division championships, including the first half of the 2015 season, as well as five Southern Division titles, most recently in 2015. For more information on the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, please contact the Pelicans at (843) 918-6000 or emailing [email protected].