Paula homers twice, but Myrtle Beach swept in Tuesday twin bill

FREDERICK, Md. (May 2, 2017) - Adonis Paula homered in each game of Tuesday's doubleheader, but the Myrtle Beach Pelicans were swept 2-1 and 8-2 by the Frederick Keys at NYMEO Field at Harry Grove Stadium.
In game one, the score was tied at one going to the sixth. Ryan Mountcastle led off with against Pelicans (14-12) starter Ryan Kellogg (0-1). A Randolph Gassaway single put runners on the corners before an error brought in Mountcastle to give Frederick (14-12) the 2-1 lead.

Jesse Hodges began the seventh with a walk. Frederick starter Brian Gonzalez (2-2) was then able to strike out Adonis Paula before inducing a fly out off the bat of Daniel Spingola . The Keys brought in Jay Flaa, who surrendered a double to Connor Myers to put the tying run on third and the go-ahead run at the plate. However, Flaa struck out Bryant Flete to end the ballgame and pick up his first save. 
The Keys broke the scoreless tie in the fourth with a two-out rally. Both Gassaway and Yermin Mercedes reached on infield singled. Steve Laurino then singled in Gassaway to draw first blood for the Keys.
However, Paula blasted a solo home run in the fifth for the Pelicans to answer immediately and knot the score at one.
Kellogg worked the first complete game of the season for Myrtle Beach, giving up two runs, one earned, on seven hits in six innings. He didn't walk a batter and struck out one.
Gonzalez picked up the win for Frederick, allowing a run on five hits in 6.2 frames with two walks against seven strikeouts.
Frederick's offense came alive in the twin bill finale. Drew Turbin singled and Mountcastle doubled with one out in the first inning. Gassaway then lined a two-run single to put Frederick ahead 2-0.
Mountcastle, who finished a triple shy of the cycle, homered with one out in the third, making it 3-0. Following an error and foul out, Ademar Rifaela sliced a two-run shot to left. Myrtle Beach starter Kyle Miller (0-1) walked Alex Murphy before giving up a base hit to Josh Hart. Back-to-back RBI singles by Ricardo Adujar and Stevie Wilkerson then pushed the advantage to 7-0.
Garcia hit an opposite field homer in the fifth inning to put the Pelicans on the board against Keys starter Cristian Alvarado (2-2), who gave up just two runs on six hits in a seven-inning complete game.
With the score 7-1 in the sixth, Wilkerson singled to jumpstart the frame. Two batters later, Mountcastle did the same before Gassaway hit another RBI single to make it 8-1.
Paula popped his second home run of the day in the seventh, a solo shot that brought the Birds to within 8-2. However, they could get no closer and were swept in the doubleheader.
Myrtle Beach will look to salvage this three-game series with Wednesday's 11 a.m. first pitch. The Pelicans will start RHP Adbert Alzolay (2-0, 2.49 ERA) against Frederick RHP Ofelky Peralta (0-0, 7.07 ERA). Coverage begins at 10:45 a.m. on MyrtleBeachPelicans.com/Broadcast, the MiLB First Pitch app and TuneIn.
The 2017 season is the 19th season for the Pelicans franchise and third as the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. For information on tickets to see the Pelicans in 2017, 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 six seasons. The same publication also placed the Pelicans in the Top 100 Stadium Experiences in all of sports in each of the last six years and the best in the Carolina League for six 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 two-time defending Mills Cup Champions, winning the title in 2015 and 2016 as well as 2000 and co-Mills Cup championship honors in the inaugural 1999 season. The Pelicans have made ten postseason appearances behind 12 half-season Southern Division championships, including the first half of the 2015 season and second half of 2016. For more information on the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, please contact the Pelicans at (843) 918-6000 or emailing [email protected].