Birds prevail in back-and-forth game with Astros

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (May 11, 2018) - After a four-run lead disappeared, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans used a late rally on Friday night to down the Buies Creek Astros 9-6 from TicketReturn.Com Field at Pelicans Ballpark. 
Tied at 5-5 in the sixth, Andruw Monasterio ripped go-ahead, two-run double down the right field line to give the Pelicans (14-21) the lead for good. Jhonny Pereda then knocked Monasterio in for good measure and the Birds had a 8-5 lead.

Myrtle Beach tacked on a run in the seventh when Austin Upshaw scored on a balk to make it 9-5. 
In the ninth inning, Buies Creek (21-14) added a run, but it could not comeback as Jhon Romero struck out Anibal Sierra with the bases loaded to end the game. 
In the first inning, Upshaw started the scoring with a three-run triple. Connor Myers then scored in the second inning while Monasterio was caught between first and second following a base hit, giving the Pelicans a 4-0 lead for the second straight night. 
Just like on Thursday night, that lead evaporated. The Astros scored three runs in the third inning on an RBI single by J.J. Matijevic and a two-run double Osvaldo Duarte.
Though the Pelicans took a 5-3 lead after Aramis Ademan plated Kevonte Mitchell  on a squeeze bunt, the Astros tied it in the fifth inning. Abraham Toro singled home a run and Chas McCormick knotted the game up with a sacrifice fly.
Though starter Matt Swarmer struck out a career-high nine, the righty yielded five runs on seven hits over five innings. Jordan Minch  (2-0) earned the win, throwing 1.2 scoreless innings, only allowing two hits while striking out one.
Gabriel Valdez (0-1) took the loss, allowing three runs on two hits over 0.2 innings. 
The Pelicans will see the Buies Creek Astros on Saturday at 6:05 p.m. for game three of the four-game set. The Birds will send LHP Jose Paulino (0-4, 9.39 ERA) against the Astros' RHP Carson LaRue (1-1, 3.12 ERA). Coverage begins at locally on the CW21 and on MiLB.tv at 6:00 p.m. while audio coverage begins at 5:50 p.m. on MyrtleBeachPelicans.com/Broadcast, TuneIn and the MiLB First Pitch app. 
Saturday is Military Appreciation Night with all veterans receiving a free ticket with an ID. It is also a Local Saturday where locals can earn $3 off of any ticket with an ID and Saturday will feature a firework show as well presented by East Coast Pyrotechnics. 
The 2018 season is the 20th season for the Pelicans franchise and fourth 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. The park 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 as well. In June 2017, TicketReturn.Com Field at Pelicans Ballpark won the 2017 TripAdvisor.com Certificate of Excellence award. The Pelicans have 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 emailing [email protected].