Pelicans win fourth in a row as offense continues to blossom against Keys

FREDERICK, M.D. (May 15, 2016) - Charcer Burks and Cael Brockmeyer each homered and the Myrtle Beach Pelicans scored eight runs or more for the third straight day, beating the Frederick Keys 8-5 Sunday afternoon at NYMEO Field at Harry Grove Stadium.

The Pelicans have scored 27 runs on 39 hits over the first three games of the series, bashing six home runs.

With Lucas Long (1-2) on the mound for Frederick (15-21), Gleyber Torres doubled to right center. Two batters later, Keys shortstop Erick Salcedo committed a throwing error, allowing Torres to score and make it 1-0 Pelicans.

Myrtle Beach (20-15) starter Jake Stinnett (3-0) allowed two hits and two walks without recording an out in the top of the first, but worked through the inning with only two runs allowed.

Down 2-1 with one out in the second inning, Jeffrey Baez singled and stole second base. Trey Martin followed with a double down the left field line to tie the game at two. After an out and walk to Rashad Crawford, Torres singled to plate Martin and Crawford, giving the Birds a 4-2 lead.

With the same score in the fourth, Burks tripled off the wall in left-center with one out. Two batters later, Ian Happ doubled to the gap to make the score 5-2.

In the fifth, Myrtle Beach catcher Brockmeyer homered to deep left to extend the lead to six. After Baez singled and advanced to third on a wild pitch and passed ball, Martin drove him home with a fly ball to right field, making it 6-2 Pelicans.

Stinnett ended up lasting six innings, allowing just one hit over his final four frames. In all, the righty surrendered two runs on four hits.

Against Keys reliever Michael Zouzalik, Burks homered to left center in the eighth to extend the Pelicans advantage. It was his second home run of the series.

The Pelicans bullpen allowed singular runs in the seventh, eighth and ninth, but Myrtle Beach persevered for the 8-5 victory.

The two teams will meet again Monday, as the Pelicans go for the four-game sweep. Jonathan Martinez (3-1, 3.00) will be on the mound for Myrtle Beach, while John Means (1-0, 3.95) goes for Frederick. First pitch is at 7 p.m., and coverage begins at 6:45 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]