Martinez, offense vault Birds by Dash

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (May 3, 2016) - Jonathan Martinez delivered six strong innings, Rashad Crawford reached base four times, Gleyber Torres homered and Shawon Dunston Jr. laced three extra-base hits to lead the Myrtle Beach Pelicans to a 5-2 win Tuesday over the Winston-Salem Dash at BB&T Ballpark.

With one out in the top of the first inning, Torres sent a missile into the left-center field seats off Dash (10-16) starter Spencer Adams (3-1) for his second home run of the year.

Myrtle Beach (12-10) did not look back from there behind Martinez (2-1). He yielded just one run on two hits in six innings of work, the 30th time in his last 32 starts that he has not surrendered more than three earned runs.

With the score still 1-0 in the third, Crawford began the frame with a double. Torres singled him to third, and two batters later, Yasiel Balaguert lofted a sacrifice fly to increase the Birds' lead to 2-0.

The Pelicans would once again double their advantage in the sixth. Jason Vosler, who recorded his second straight multi-hit game, doubled to lead things off. After a Gioskar Amaya walk, Dunston Jr. doubled down the right field line to plate Vosler. A passed ball brought in Amaya to make it 4-0.

The Dash finally responded with Hunter Jones' solo home run in the sixth, the only blemish on Martinez's record.

The clubs would trade blows in the eighth. Charcer Burks doubled with one out and came in to score on Crawford's RBI single. However, in the bottom of the frame, an RBI triple by Jones cut the Pelicans' lead to 5-2.

With two outs and Jones on third, Jose Rosario came into the game and retired Gerson Montilla on a groundout to end the threat. Rosario then worked a perfect ninth for his fourth save. Tyler Ihrig also worked a perfect seventh in relief.

Myrtle Beach goes for its first sweep of the season with first pitch Wednesday at 11 a.m. RHP Zach Hedges (2-2, 2.16 ERA) goes for the Birds against Winston-Salem RHP Brandon Brennan (0-0, 0.00 ERA). Coverage begins at 10:45 a.m. on MyrtleBeachPelicans.com/Broadcast 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].