Kinston Falls 8-7 on Walk-Off Single

Samuel Sime's walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth capped a two-run rally for Myrtle Beach in an 8-7 win over the K-Tribe on Saturday night in South Carolina. Kinston is one and a half games out of the final playoff spot in the Carolina League Southern Division.

Kinston struck first in the opening frame when Kyle Bellows and Abner Abreu each delivered RBI singles scoring Karexon Sanchez and Chun Chen. Myrtle Beach would come back in the bottom of the second inning, beginning with a lead-off walk to Mike Jones. With two-outs in the inning Jones advanced to second base on a passed ball. Jones would then score on an RBI double by Jordan Kreke. The Pelicans would then tie the score at two when Sanchez booted a grounder to the right side, allowing Kreke to come home on the error by the K-Tribe second baseman.

Myrtle Beach would take advantage of more Kinston mistakes in the third inning. With two-outs in the inning Mike Jones was allowed to reach on an error by Kinston first baseman Jeremie Tice. Samuel Sime then made Kinston pay for another two-out error with an RBI double to score Jones. Myrtle Beach would take a 4-2 lead when Sime scored on a single by Cody Johnson. Kinston would get a run back in the top of the third inning when Kyle Bellows led off with a double and was driven home by a Juan Diaz single.

The Pelicans would put up two runs for the third straight inning when Ware and Rodriguez each drove in runs in the bottom of the fourth frame. Kinston starter T.J. House lasted four innings, giving up six runs (three unearned) on six hits. House walked two and struck out three.

Kinston kept fighting, when Jeremie Tice doubled with two-outs in the top of the fifth inning. Chen followed with a double of his own to drive in Tice and make the score 6-4 Myrtle Beach. The Pelicans would then commit a big two-out error, when a routine grounder to second base was booted by Kreke. The error allowed Chen to score and cut the Pelican lead to one. Abreu then slugged another double down the left field line, but a good Myrtle Beach relay throw cut down Bellows at the plate to keep the lead. Pelican's starter Matt Crim gave up five runs on eight hits in five innings of work. He walked one and struck out four.

Chris Jones settled things down from the K-Tribe bullpen. He pitched 3 1/3 scoreless innings on one hit. He walked one and struck out five.

Andrew Wilson did not fare so well from the pen for the Pelicans. Wilson walked two batters with two-outs in the top of the sixth inning. The free passes proved costly as Sanchez delivered an RBI single to tie the game at six.

The Indians took the lead back in the eighth inning against Pelicans reliever Luis Avilan. Abreu led off with a single up the middle and Juan Diaz moved him to second with a sacrifice bunt. With two out, Webb bounced a double down the right field line to score Abreu and give the K-Tribe a 7-6 lead.

Myrtle Beach rallied in the ninth inning against closer Cory Burns. Mycal Jones reached on a fielding error on Bellows to start the inning and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. He scored on an RBI single by Mike Jones to tie the game at seven. The next hitter, Samuel Sime hit a walk-off RBI single through the left side to give the Pelicans an 8-7 victory.

The K-Tribe finishes up the short road trip Sunday night at 6:05 pm in South Carolina. Joe Gardner will take the hill for Kinston. The K-Tribe then returns to Kinston for their final homestand of the 2010 season Monday through Sunday.