Myrtle Beach falls 5-3 in series opener

ZEBULON, N.C. (May 26, 2017) - The Myrtle Beach Pelicans bats mustered just four hits in a 5-3 series-opening loss on Friday to the Carolina Mudcats at Five County Stadium.
Myrtle Beach (26-23) opened the scoring in their first at-bats. Bryant Flete singled before Andruw Monasterio doubled him to third. Two batters later, an Eddy Martinez ground out brought in Flete to make it 1-0 Pelicans.

However, that was the only offense the Birds could muster off Carolina (26-22) starter Corbin Burnes (5-0). The right-hander lasted six innings and yielded just that lone run on two hits, striking out six and walking one. He retired the final 10 Pelicans he faced to earn the win.
Corey Ray tied the game in the bottom of the first with a leadoff home run off Myrtle Beach starter Ryan Kellogg (1-3). The Pelicans southpaw surrendered four runs, three earned, on six hits in 5.2 frames, but suffered the loss. He fanned four against just one walk.
With the score knotted at one in the second, Lucas Erceg began the frame with a double. A Trent Clark two-bagger brought in Erceg to give the Muddies the lead. Three batters later, Weston Wilson laced an RBI single to right to extend the advantage to 3-1.
The score was the same in the sixth when Isan Díaz doubled with one out. After a walk, an error brought in Diaz to make it 4-1.
The Mudcats would add one more run an inning later. Luis Aviles Jr. singled to begin the frame and then stole second. After a Max McDowell ground out, back-to-back singles by Wilson and Ray, with the latter bringing in Aviles, added a tally to make it 5-1.
The Pelicans were able to put runners on first and second in the eighth after consecutive Carolina errors. Two batters later, Daniel Spingola cashed in Myrtle Beach's first hit since the first inning with a two-run triple to halve the deficit at 5-3.
In the ninth, Jesse Hodges singled on the infield with two outs and Eloy Jiménez drew a pinch-hit walk to put the tying run on base. However, Mudcats closer Nate Griep induced a ground out off the bat of Robert Garcia to end the ballgame and pick up his league-leading eighth save.
The result bumped Carolina ahead of Myrtle Beach for second place in the Southern Division standings.
The Pelicans and Mudcats will meet on Saturday at 5 p.m. in game two of the four-game series. RHP Adbert Alzolay (4-1, 2.68 ERA) will toe the rubber against Carolina RHP Conor Harber (1-4, 4.28 ERA). Coverage begins at 4:45 p.m. on MyrtleBeachPelicans.com/Broadcast, the MiLB First Pitch app and TuneIn.
The 2017 season is the 19th season for the Pelicans franchise and third as the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. For information on tickets to see the Pelicans in 2017, 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 six seasons. The same publication also placed the Pelicans in the Top 100 Stadium Experiences in all of sports in each of the last six years and the best in the Carolina League for six 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 two-time defending Mills Cup Champions, winning the title in 2015 and 2016 as well as 2000 and co-Mills Cup championship honors in the inaugural 1999 season. The Pelicans have made ten postseason appearances behind 12 half-season Southern Division championships, including the first half of the 2015 season and second half of 2016. For more information on the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, please contact the Pelicans at (843) 918-6000 or emailing [email protected].