Five-run Myrtle Beach fifth evens series

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (September 11, 2016) - The Myrtle Beach Pelicans erupted for five runs in the bottom of the fifth to beat the Lynchburg Hillcats 8-3 Sunday and even the Mills Cup Championship Series at a game apiece at TicketReturn.com Field at Pelicans Ballpark.

With Lynchburg (1-1) leading 3-1 entering the frame, Charcer Burks crushed a solo home run to left with one out to cut the deficit to 3-2. Donnie Dewees followed with a single before David Bote doubled him home to tie the game. Bote's doubled chase Hillcats starter Brock Hartson (0-1), who surrendered four runs on six hits over 4.1 innings.

With Bote at second and one out, Eloy Jimenez drew a walk before Bryant Flete bounced into a fielder's choice. Jeffrey Baez then singled to right to score Bote and give Myrtle Beach (1-1) their first lead of the game at 4-3. Andrew Ely and Erick Castillo then came through with RBI singles of their own to stretch the Pelicans lead to 6-3.

Daniel Lewis then tossed two shutout innings of relief to hold the 6-3 Myrtle Beach advantage.

Still up three in the bottom of the eighth, Castillo doubled to right to start the eighth before Jesse Hodges advanced him to third on an infield single. After a Dewees walk loaded the bases with one out, Bote singled to left to plate a pair and extend the Pelicans' lead to 8-3.

Tommy Thorpe got all three outs in the eighth before Ryan McNeil finished off a scoreless ninth.

The Hillcats got the scoring going early, when the first three batters singled against Myrtle Beach starter Jeremy Null in the top of the first. With the bases loaded, Bobby Bradley then hit into a double play to score Tyler Krieger and get Lynchburg on the board 1-0.

Burks walked to start the bottom of the inning before he reached second on a passed ball. After a sac bunt moved him to third base, Jimenez grounded out to score Burks and tie the game 1-1.

The Hillcats strung together three straight two-out singles against Null in the fourth, with the final one from Yonathan Mendoza giving Lynchburg a 2-1 lead.

In the top of the fifth against Pelicans reliever James Norwood (1-0), Krieger singled to center before Anthony Santander walked two batters later. With two outs in the inning, Dorssys Paulino singled to right to plate Krieger and open up a 3-1 lead for Lynchburg.

The Pelicans' bullpen worked five innings of one-run baseball Sunday night, and has now posted a 1.91 ERA since August 19.

Bote, meanwhile, is 11-for-18 in the postseason with 7 RBIs in five games.

The Pelicans and Hillcats will have a day off Monday before playing Game 3 of the best-of-five series in Lynchburg at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday. RHP Trevor Clifton (1-0, 1.50 ERA) is scheduled to make the start for Myrtle Beach, against LHP Luis Lugo (0-0, 1.80 ERA) of Lynchburg. Coverage begins at 6:15 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].