Stinnett and McNeil shut out Keys 1-0

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (June 15, 2016) - Jake Stinnett went seven shutout innings and Ryan McNeil followed with two perfect frames for the save as the Myrtle Beach Pelicans shut out the Frederick Keys 1-0 Wednesday night at TicketReturn.com Field at Pelicans Ballpark.

Stinnett (5-4) scattered eight hits and walked only two while tying a season-high with seven strikeouts.

The Keys (34-32) threatened Stinnett's shutout bid with two hits in the first and fifth innings, but the right-hander induced two double plays to escape both frames.

Frederick starter Matthew Grimes (7-4) struck out six over five innings of four-hit ball. However, in a scoreless game in the bottom of the fourth, Grimes walked Yasiel Balaguert with one out. An error put runners second and third. Later in the inning, Grimes issued a wild pitch, which allowed Balaguert to score and give Myrtle Beach (34-31) a 1-0 lead.

With the Pelicans still leading 1-0 in the top of the seventh, Stinnett allowed two hits and a walk, which loaded the bases for Frederick with two outs. After a six-pitch at-bat, Stinnett got Erick Salcedo to groundout and keep the shutout alive.

Meanwhile, Keys reliever Tanner Scott worked two perfect innings in the sixth and seventh, striking out all six batters he faced.

Up 1-0 after seven, the Pelicans turned to McNeil, who also retired all six batters he saw, earning his fifth save of the year.

The Pelicans will head to Potomac to take on the Nationals at 7:05 p.m. on Thursday. RHP Jonathan Martinez (3-4, 5.08) will make the start for the Pelicans. Coverage begins at 6:50 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].