Pelicans jump on Kopech, win Game 1

Facing a hard-throwing pitcher like Salem's Michael Kopech can be a challenge, but Donnie Dewees and Myrtle Beach caught him on a bad night and took full advantage.

Dewees, the Cubs' No. 11 prospect, went 2-for-4 with an RBI as the Pelicans chased Kopech early and cruised to an an 8-1 win over the Red Sox in Game 1 of the Mills Cup semifinals on Wednesday at TicketReturn.com Field.

Myrtle Beach tagged the fifth-ranked Red Sox prospect, for six runs on five hits and two walks over 2 1/3 innings.

"Kopech is a guy you can go to the plate and sit dead red," Dewees said. "He didn't have command, was leaving pitches up in the zone and getting behind in counts. And even when a guy throws 100 [mph], it becomes easier to hit in situations like that."

Myrtle Beach had a 1-0 lead when Dewees led off the third with a walk. Kopech threw a wild pitch to each of the next three batters and hit another before giving way to Anyelo Leclerc. Dewees capped the six-run outburst with a two-out RBI single.

"[The key was] putting together multiple hits in innings," he said. "A lot of guys came through with the bats in key situations."

Trevor Clifton (1-0), the Cubs' eighth-ranked prospect, took a shutout into the sixth and ended up allowing a run on five hits and a walk while striking out six. 

"He's been like that all month," Dewees said of the 21-year-old right-hander. "He had life on his fastball, good command and good secondary pitches. With those all working together, it makes a pitcher tough to hit."

The Pelicans need one win to advance to the Mills Cup Finals. Game 2 is Thursday in Salem, where the Red Sox went a Carolina League-best 25-12 during the regular season.

"Game 1 is a big game," Dewees said. "It puts their backs against the wall and they have to do everything they can to scramble and stay alive."

In other playoff action:

Potomac 7, Lynchburg 0

Boone Whiting was credited with a rain-shortened two-hit shutout for the Nationals, who got three hits from Kevin Gutierrez and a pair of RBIs from Matthew Page. Game 2 is Thursday in Lynchburg. Box score