Burks and Bote lead Pelicans to 6-3 win over Blue Rocks

Burks extends on-base streak to 22 games in triumph

By John Vittas

July 22, 2016

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (July 22, 2016) - Charcer Burks and David Bote both collected three hits in the Myrtle Beach Pelicans' 6-3 win over the Wilmington Blue Rocks Friday at TicketReturn.com Field at Pelicans Ballpark.

The duo was responsible for half of the team's hits and runs on the night. Burks extended his on-base streak to 22 games, the longest active streak in the Carolina League and the longest by a Pelican this season.

After Pelicans (50-48, 14-14) starter Trevor Clifton (5-6) worked a 1-2-3 top of the first, Burks led off the bottom of the inning by lining a double into the left field corner. After a sacrifice bunt and a walk, Yasiel Balaguert drove home Burks with a sacrifice fly to center to give Myrtle Beach a 1-0 lead.

Brandon Downes began the top of the second with a walk. He then stole second before Elier Hernandez drove him home with a single to tie the game at one.

In a tie game in the top of the second, David Bote lined a single to right before Ian Rice walked and pushed him to second. After the next two batters were retired, Tyler Pearson stroked a single to left to score Bote and make it 2-1 Birds. The next batter was Burks, who singled up the middle. Downes' throw from center bounced past catcher Luis Villegas, allowing Rice to score on the error and make the score 3-1.

After Clifton worked two more scoreless innings, he walked Chad Johnson to start the top of the fifth. Hernandez followed with a double down the line to push Johnson to third. After Clifton got a strikeout and pop out, a bloop doubled allowed both runners to score and tie the game 3-3.

But the Birds' bats went right back to work in the bottom of the inning. Rashad Crawford and Gleyber Torres both drew walks, forcing Wilmington (35-62, 8-20) starter Matt Tenuta (3-8) to leave the game. After reliever Brennan Henry got a strikeout, a Bote infield single coupled with a Blue Rocks error scored Crawford. The next batter was Rice, who doubled to left to plate Torres and extend the advantage to 5-3.

Clifton worked a scoreless sixth, allowing three runs on five hits while fanning six to earn the victory.

Still leading by two in the bottom of the sixth, Bote singled with one out. After stealing second, Jeffrey Baez singled to right to score Bote and make it 6-3 Pelicans.

Daury Torrez retired all five batters he saw in relief, and Ryan McNeil recorded the final four outs to earn his league-leading 14th save of the season.

The Pelicans will return to action against the Blue Rocks Saturday night at 7:05 p.m. The Pelicans will celebrate Clemson Night by giving away a "Dabbing Dabo" Swinney bobbleheads to each of the first 1,000 fans through the gates, which open at 6 p.m. Coverage begins at 6:50 p.m. on MyrtleBeachPelicans.com/Broadcast, the MiLB First Pitch app, TuneIn and MiLB.tv.

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]