Myrtle Beach moves past Salem with victory

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (AUGUST 26, 2014) - The Myrtle Beach Pelicans, Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Texas Rangers, defeated the Winston Salem Dash 7-2 on Tuesday night at TicketReturn.com Field at Pelicans Ballpark. Michael De Leon went 1-4 in his Class A-Advanced debut; his RBI single in the sixth inning put the Birds ahead for good. With Tuesday's win, Myrtle Beach moved ahead of the Salem Red Sox, giving the team a one game lead in the second half Southern Division standings.

The Pelicans (34-30, 78-54) wasted no time getting on the board. Chris Grayson hit a first-pitch leadoff home run off of Dash starter, Tyler Danish.  The home run to right field put the Pelicans ahead early, 1-0.

Christopher Bostick added on another solo shot in the third inning to increase the Pelicans lead to 2-0. 

Pelicans starter Luis Parra shutout the Dash (28-36, 58-75) over the first four innings of the contest, but Winston-Salem answered back in the fifth inning to tie the game. With one out and runners on the corners, Keenyn Walker grounded a single to left field, scoring Keon Barnum. In the next at-bat, Adam Engel walked, loading the bases for Cleuluis Rondon. Parra then hit Rondon, and Mike Marjama crossed the plate to tie the game at 2-2.

Parra tossed five innings for the Pelicans, striking out six, walking four, and giving up two runs on four hits, exiting the game with a no-decision.

Myrtle Beach strung together a five-run sixth inning to surpass the Dash to victory. Kevin Torres tripled with one out and scored in the next at-bat on a go-ahead RBI single by De Leon, putting the Pelicans ahead 3-2. The Birds sent 11 batters to plate in the inning, and all five runs scored off of relief pitcher Sean Hagan. Ryan Cordell drove in two in the inning, and Royce Bolinger knocked in another.  

De Leon, 17, made history on the evening as the youngest player to appear in a game for the Pelicans in the team's history. He went 1-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, and he started a double play in the third inning.

Cody Buckel (4-6) earned the win, tossing two innings of scoreless relief. He struck out four and gave up three hits. Hagan (2-1) took the loss for the Dash.

The Birds host the Winston-Salem Dash in the second game of a four-game series on Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m. at Ticketreturn.com Field at Pelicans Ballpark. Myrtle Beach puts Victor Payano (4-8, 4.83) on the mound and will face Winston-Salem's J.B. Wendelken (6-9, 5.03). The game can be heard live on WRNN AM 1450 ESPN Myrtle Beach, on the TuneIn Radio App, and via the MiLB First Pitch App, beginning with the Hampton Inn Pregame Show at 6:45 p.m.

Wednesday is Quarter Dog Night, featuring twenty-five cent Hebrew National hot dogs all game long, courtesy of WPDE and Mix 97.7.

Season Seats, Mini Plans, Flex Books, and single game tickets are available to see the Pelicans in 2014. For more information on tickets, please call (843) 918-6002, e-mail [email protected], visit www.MyrtleBeachPelicans.com, or visit the Pelicans box office, which is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.