Amaya, Mitchell homer in loss to Keys

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (April 15, 2019) - Miguel Amaya and Kevonte Mitchell each blasted their second homers of the year, but it was not enough to outscore the hot-hitting Frederick Keys who took game one of the series 9-3 from TicketReturn.com Field at Pelicans Ballpark on Monday night.

After D.J. Wilson reached on an infield single for the Pelicans (2-10) with one out in the first inning, Miguel Amaya launched a prodigious two-run homer to give the Birds a 2-0 lead. 
The advantage was short-lived for Myrtle Beach, as the Keys (4-7) took a 3-2 lead after the first four men reached in the top of the third and three runs scored. 
The Keys added another run in the fourth inning as Mason McCoy drove in the fourth run of the game for Frederick (4-7) on an RBI double off of the Bird's starter Luis Lugo (0-1). A fifth-inning homer from Zach Jarrett made it 5-2 Keys and Frederick was just getting started.
The Keys bolstered their lead in the sixth when Yeltsin Gudino singled and scored on an RBI double from Jake Ring, who later scored on an error to make it 7-2. 
Myrtle Beach found the scoreboard again in the bottom of the sixth, as Mitchell's second homer of the year brought the Birds back to within four runs at 7-3.
McCoy took the doubt away in the top of the eighth, making it 9-3 with a two-run homer to left, his third hit of the game. 
Cody Sedlock (1-0) earned his first win of the year for the Keys after pitching five innings and allowing two runs on six hits while striking out three and walking two. 
Myrtle Beach will look to even the series against Frederick in game two on Tuesday night at 7:05. The Pelicans have yet to name their starter for the middle game of the set while Brenan Hanifee (0-1, 8.00) will be on the mound for the Keys. 
Tuesday will be a $2 Taco and Tallboys Tuesday, presented by Abuelo's Mexican Restaurant, Better Brands and NASH 106.5. 
The 2019 season is the 21st season for the Pelicans franchise and fifth as the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. For tickets visit MyrtleBeachPelicans.com/tickets, call (843) 918-6000, or visit the Pelicans Box Office.
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. Since being acquired by a group led by Chuck Greenberg during the 2006 season, the Pelicans have repeatedly set team attendance records and become known as one of Minor League Baseball's most innovative and creative franchises. The team and its employees have been dedicated to making a difference in the Myrtle Beach community, specifically giving back over $2 million in donations, fundraising proceeds, in-kind services and community service since launching the Pelicans Play It Forward Community Initiative in 2013. TicketReturn.Com Field at Pelicans Ballpark has ranked in the top eight in all of Minor League Baseball by Stadium Journey in six of the last seven seasons. The same publication also placed the Pelicans in the Top 100 Stadium Experiences and the best in the Carolina League for six of the past seven seasons. In June 2017, the Pelicans won the 2017 TripAdvisor.com Certificate of Excellence award. On the field, the team has won four Mills Cup Championships, including claims to back-to-back titles in 1999 and 2000, and again in 2015 and 2016. The Pelicans have made 11 postseason appearances behind 13 half-season Southern Division championships, including the first half of the 2015 season, second half of 2016 and first half of 2017. For more information on the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, please contact the Pelicans at (843) 918-6000 or email [email protected].