Crawford leads Pelicans to 6-3 win in Salem

SALEM, Va. (June 1, 2016) - Rashad Crawford recorded four hits and two RBIs to help lead the Myrtle Beach Pelicans to a 6-3 win over the Salem Red Sox Wednesday at LewisGale Field.

Crawford either scored or drove in a run in all three run-scoring innings for Myrtle Beach (28-23).

In a scoreless game in the top of the third, Crawford led off the frame against Salem (33-19) starter Trey Ball (2-2) with a single to right. After two outs, the Pelicans got three consecutive RBI hits from Yasiel Balaguert, Jason Vosler and Gioskar Amaya to give Myrtle Beach a 3-0 lead.  

Still leading 3-0 in the fourth, Trey Martin began the inning by reaching on an error from Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers. Two batters later, Crawford socked a triple to the wall in left-center field to score Martin and make things 4-0. After another out, Ian Happ singled up the middle to push the Pelicans lead to five.

Erick Leal (7-2) started the game for the Pelicans and did not allow a run through the first three innings. After a leadoff walk and a fielder's choice in the bottom of the fourth, Leal uncorked a wild throw on a pickoff attempt to push the runner to third base. Nick Longhi followed with an RBI single to cut the Birds lead to 5-1.

In all, Leal worked five innings and did not allow an earned run. He gave up three hits and walked only one.

With the score still 5-1 in the top of the eighth, Jeffrey Baez led off with a single before stealing second. After a throwing error, Crawford drove him home on a single up the middle to make the score 6-1.

Tommy Thorpe offered three innings of scoreless relief for Myrtle Beach to maintain the lead.

In a 6-1 game in the ninth, the Red Sox got hits from Danny Mars and Bryan Hudson against reliever Daniel Lewis to plate two runs and cut the deficit to 6-3. However, Daury Torrez came in to get the final out and earn his first save since July 10, 2013 to seal the victory for Myrtle Beach.

The Pelicans will play a doubleheader with Salem beginning at 5:05 p.m. Thursday. RHP Jeremy Null (1-1, 2.55 ERA) will start the first game for Myrtle Beach, while RHP Jake Stinnett (4-1, 3.09 ERA) goes in the second game. Coverage begins at 4:50 p.m. on MyrtleBeachPelicans.com/Broadcast, the MiLB First Pitch app and TuneIn.

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].