Rice, Stinnett power Pelicans past Mudcats 2-1

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (June 23, 2016) - Jake Stinnett worked a career-high eight innings of one-run ball and Ian Rice delivered a go-ahead home run as the Myrtle Beach Pelicans defeated the Carolina Mudcats 2-1 Sunday night at TicketReturn.com Field at Pelicans Ballpark.

Stinnett (6-3) scattered four hits and walked only one against five strikeouts over a career-high eight innings. The righty has now put together 15 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run, and was the first Pelicans (38-36, 2-2) starter to complete eight innings this season.

The game was scoreless until the third inning. Stinnett retired the first batter before Carolina's (31-43, 2-2) Keith Curcio reached first on a catcher's interference. Jose Fernandez then singled Curcio to third before Braxton Davidson drove him in with sacrifice fly to left.

With the Mudcats leading 1-0 in the bottom of the third, Pelicans left fielder Charcer Burks cranked a solo home run over the bleachers in left field to tie the game at one.

Both Stinnett and Muddies starter Ryan Clark took control of the game from there. Clark did not allow a run for the remainder of his outing, surrendering just one run on four hits over six.

With the game still tied in the bottom of the eighth, Mudcats reliever Sean McLaughlin (3-3) retired the first two batters before Rice took him deep to left center to give Myrtle Beach a 2-1 advantage.

Birds closer Ryan McNeil pitched around a couple of singles to earn his eighth save of the year in the ninth.

The Pelicans will head to Salem to take on the Red Sox at 7:05 p.m. Monday. RHP Trevor Clifton (4-3, 2.12 ERA) will start for Myrtle Beach, while LHP Matt Kent (6-3, 3.07 ERA) gets the nod for Salem.

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]