Amaya homers twice in 3-2 loss to Hillcats

LYNCHBURG, Va. (June 12, 2016) - Gioskar Amaya notched the first multi-home run game of his career Sunday, but the Myrtle Beach Pelicans fell 3-2 to the Lynchburg Hillcats at Calvin Falwell Field at Lynchburg City Stadium.

Amaya's solo blasts in the fifth and eighth innings represented all the Myrtle Beach (33-29) runs, with the second homer tying the game at two. Amaya also registered half of the Pelicans' four hits.

Luis Lugo started for Lynchburg (40-22) and allowed only one run over seven excellent innings. Lugo surrendered just three hits and struck out six without walking anyone.

In a scoreless game in the bottom of the third, Pelicans starter Trevor Clifton walked the leadoff hitter Greg Allen before Taylor Murphy singled him to third. Anthony Santander followed and bounced into a fielder's choice, plating Allen and making it 1-0 Hillcats. After getting another out, Clifton allowed a Yu-Cheng Chang RBI double down the left field line, which extended the Lynchburg lead to 2-0.

That lead would hold until Amaya's pair of homers tied the game in the eighth.

Clifton ended up allowing just those two runs over five innings of work, marking the tenth consecutive start that Clifton gave up two runs or less.

In a 2-2 game in the bottom of the eighth, Dillon Maples (0-1) allowed a single and a walk to start the frame. A double steal and error allowed the runner came home to score and give the Hillcats a 3-2 lead. Daniel Lewis would get the Pelicans out of the jam without further damage.

After allowing the homer in the eighth, Lynchburg reliever David Speer (3-0) worked a perfect top of the ninth to seal the win.

Because of Frederick's 4-3 win over Potomac earlier in the afternoon, the Hillcats clinched the First Half Northern Division Championship Sunday. It's the Cats' first first-half division title since 2012.

The Pelicans will return home to face the Frederick Keys at 7:05 p.m. Monday. RHP Erick Leal (8-2, 3.29 ERA) will start for Myrtle Beach. All fans can receive a half-priced ticket to the game by donating an approved item from the Backpack Buddies Donation List. Coverage to Monday's contest begins at 6:50 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].