Pelicans crush Dash to open series

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (May 13, 2019) - The Myrtle Beach Pelicans backed a strong start from Erling Moreno with 11 runs on 10 hits in an 11-1 win over the Winston-Salem Dash in the series opener at TicketReturn.com Field at Pelicans Ballpark.

The Birds' bats were hot from the start as the Pelicans got on the board in the first inning. Grant Fennell drew a bases loaded walk that scored Jhonny Bethencourt from third to make it 1-0 Myrtle Beach. 
The Pelicans found the scoreboard again in the fourth inning as they exploded for four runs. After Aramis Ademan slapped an opposite field home run to start the inning, the Pelicans loaded the bases for Bethencourt who promptly lined a double to right field that plated a pair to make it 4-0. 
Myrtle Beach added on their fifth run of the game when Miguel Amaya grounded out to second base and drove in Zach Davis to extend the lead to 5-0.
Winston-Salem put a run on the board in the fifth when Steele Walker demolished a ball to right field for a solo homer and the lead was cut to 5-1. 
The Pelicans took all doubts away in the bottom of the fifth as they poured in five more runs to take a 10-1 lead. After back-to-back walks to open the inning, Kevonte Mitchell made it 8-1 with a three-run bomb to left, his team-high fifth of the season. Later in the inning after Zach Davis scored on a fielders choice, Amaya drove in a run with an RBI single that pushed the lead to 10-1.
Erling Moreno was lights out in his second-consecutive start for the Pelicans. The righty went a season-high seven innings and allowed one run on five hits to earn the win for Myrtle Beach. 
The Birds scratched another run across in the eighth to make it 11-1 when Mitchell grounded into a force out and Amaya scored from third.
Myrtle Beach has now won four in a row at TicketReturn.com Field at Pelicans Ballpark and they will look to continue that streak on Tuesday night when they take on the Dash in the second game of the series. Paul Richan (3-2, 3.64) will climb the hill for the Birds against Zach Lewis (2-1, 6.91) for Winston-Salem. 
Coverage will begin at 6:50 p.m. on the Pelicans Baseball Network which is available on the TuneIn App, MyrtleBeachPelicans.com/Broadcast and MiLB First Pitch app.
Tuesday will be a $2 Tacos and Tallboys Tuesday, presented by Abuelo's Mexican Restaurant, Better Brands and 106.5 Nash FM. Tacos and Tallboys are just $2 from 6-8 p.m. 
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].