Dewees, Flete with fabulous debuts in 8-6 loss

Both reach base at least three times in first High-A games

By John Vittas

July 26, 2016

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (July 26, 2016) - Donnie Dewees and Bryant Flete were both called up from Low-A South Bend Tuesday and went a combined 5-for-7 with two walks in their Myrtle Beach debuts, an 8-6 Pelicans loss to the Carolina Mudcats Tuesday at TicketReturn.com Field at Pelicans Ballpark.

With the Pelicans (53-49, 17-15) ahead 4-3, Erison Mendez doubled down the left field line for Carolina (41-61, 12-20) to begin the eighth. Luis Valenzuela singled down the right field line to quickly tie the game at four against Myrtle Beach reliever Pedro Araujo (0-1). After Araujo got the next two outs, Braxton Davidson scorched a double off the right field wall to give Carolina a 5-4 lead. Araujo then walked Keith Curcio before Jordan Edgerton crushed a three-run homer to left, giving the Muddies an 8-4 advantage.

Down by four in the bottom of the eighth, Flete singled in front of Charcer Burks, who smashed a two-run home run to left to cut the deficit to 8-6. After a walk and a pitching change, David Bote singled to left to put the tying run on base with nobody out. However, a double play and strikeout ended the threat.

Myrtle Beach got singels from Dewees and Jesse Hodges in the ninth, but Carlos Portuondo was able to get the final two outs to earn his first save.

The game took four hours and 14 minutes, the longest nine-inning game of the Pelicans season.

In a scoreless game in the top of the second inning, Carolina left fielder Curcio tripled to the gap in left center. After a walk and a flyout, Reed Harper laid down a successful squeeze bunt to score Curcio and make it 1-0 Mudcats.

Down 1-0 in the bottom of the second, the Pelicans got back-to-back doubles from Yasiel Balaguert and Ian Rice to tie the game at one. After a flyout, Daniel Spingola walked to put runners at first and second with one out. Hodges then rolled a potential double play ball to second. After the force out was recorded at second, an errant throw allowed Rice to score and give Myrtle Beach a 2-1 lead. Flete followed by pulling an RBI triple into the right field corner before Burks then beat out an infield single to allow Flete to score and make it 4-1.

After retiring five batters in a row, Pelicans starter Tommy Thorpe walked Curcio with one out in the top of the fourth. Jordan Edgerton followed with a single, chasing Thorpe from the game. Reliever Daniel Lewis then issued a pair of wild pitches allowing Curcio to score and make it 4-2. Lewis did pick up a pair of strikeouts to get out of further trouble.

After Lewis retired the first two batters in the top of the fifth, he walked Braxton Davidson before allowing a single to Curcio. Edgerton followed with a single to left to plate Davidson to make it 4-3 Myrtle Beach.

The Pelicans and Mudcats will meet again Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. for the rubber game of the three-game set. RHP Jake Stinnett (7-4, 4.73 ERA) makes the start for Myrtle Beach against Carolina RHP Andrew Thurman (0-1, 43.20 ERA). All fans can enjoy BOGO Hebrew National hot dogs throughout the night. Coverage begins at 6:50 p.m. on MyrtleBeachPelicans.com/Broadcast, the MiLB First Pitch app, TuneIn and MiLB.tv.

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].