Six-run inning by Hillcats too much for Birds to overcome in loss

LYNCHBURG, Va. (May 4, 2018) - The Lynchburg Hillcats rattled off a six-run bottom of the sixth Friday night to top the Myrtle Beach Pelicans 7-3 from Calvin Falwell Field. 
With the Pelicans (11-17) leading 3-0 into the home half of the sixth, the Hillcats (13-14) took over off of starter Alex Lange (1-1). Conner Capel singled a run to start the scoring in the frame and Mitch Longo scored on a throwing error from the outfield to make cut the Myrtle Beach lead to one. Jodd Carter tied the game with an RBI single of his own before Jose Medina plated two with a base hit to make it 5-3 Hillcats. Logan Ice added another tally with a sacrifice fly to make it 6-3. 

Lynchburg tacked on in the seventh inning to give themselves a 7-3 lead when Emmanuel Tapia knocked in a run on an RBI groundout. 
Lange took the loss for the Pelicans, allowing four runs on five hits over five innings while striking out five and walking two. 
Kieran Lovegrove (2-0) took home the win after throwing 2.1 scoreless innings out of the bullpen while only allowing one hit. 
The Pelicans started the scoring in the third inning when Jhonny Pereda singled home Vimael Machin to make it 1-0. It was Pereda's sixth RBI in his last four games. 
Wladimir Galindo , who finished 2-for-4 with a double, gave the Birds a 2-0 lead with a sacrifice fly in the fifth. Aramis Ademan's  RBI ground out in the sixth increased the gap to 3-0. 
The Pelicans meet with Lynchburg for game two of the three-game set on Saturday, May 5, for a 6:00 p.m. first pitch. Reigning Cubs Minor League Pitcher of the Month RHP Matt Swarmer (2-2, 1.74 ERA) against Hillcats LHP Sam Hentges (2-0, 2.13 ERA). Coverage begins at 5:45 p.m. on MyrtleBeachPelicans.com/Broadcast, TuneIn and the MiLB First Pitch app. 
The 2018 season is the 20th season for the Pelicans franchise and fourth as the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. For tickets visit MyrtleBeachPelicans.com/tickets, call (843) 918-6000, or visit the Pelicans Box Office.
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 six of the last seven seasons. The same publication also placed the Pelicans in the Top 100 Stadium Experiences and the best in the Carolina League for six of the past seven seasons as well. In June 2017, TicketReturn.Com Field at Pelicans Ballpark won the 2017 TripAdvisor.com Certificate of Excellence award. The Pelicans have won four Mills Cup Championships, including claims to back-to-back titles in 1999 and 2000, and again in 2015 and 2016. The Pelicans have made 11 postseason appearances behind 13 half-season Southern Division championships, including the first half of the 2015 season, second half of 2016 and first half of 2017. For more information on the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, please contact the Pelicans at (843) 918-6000 or emailing [email protected].