Jimenez homers, but Birds fall late to Buies Creek

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (May 15, 2017) - Eloy Jiménez launched his first home run of the season and Ryan Kellogg dominated through 6.2 innings, but the Myrtle Beach Pelicans faltered late on Monday in a 4-2 series-opening loss to the Buies Creek Astros at TicketReturn.Com Field at Pelicans Ballpark. 
The score was tied at two when Buies Creek's (24-15) Anibal Sierra led off the inning with a walk against Pelicans (21-17) reliever Tommy Thorpe (2-2). An RBI double hit by Jason Martin made the score 3-2 in favor of the Astros. Myles Straw followed with an RBI double of his own to extend the Buies Creek advantage to 4-2. 

Myrtle Beach starter Ryan Kellogg and Buies Creek starter Framber Valdez matched each other for the first six frames. Kellogg tossed 6.2 innings, yielding two runs on six hits without a walk. Valdez mowed through the Birds' order to fire six shutout innings, ceding just two hits and one walk with five strikeouts.
The Astros struck first in the top of the seventh inning, as Kyle Tucker led off the frame with a base hit to left field. Two batters later, Tucker would be gunned down at the plate on a terrific relay from the Pelicans' defense on a Ryne Birkdouble. However, Anthony Hermelyn provided the damage in the frame, as he blasted a two-run home run to left field, giving Buies Creek the 2-0 advantage.
Myrtle Beach would rally back in the bottom half of the seventh, as Jimenez launched his first home run of the season out of the ballpark to begin the frame. Eddy Martinez would reach on an error before advancing to third on a double from Matt Rose . That set up a sacrifice fly from Adonis Paula to tie the game up at two.
Ralph Garza worked two scoreless innings for his second save. 
Myrtle Beach sends RHP Adbert Alzolay (3-0, 2.38 ERA) to the mound for Tuesday's 7:05 p.m. game against Buies Creek RHP Hector Perez (2-2, 2.60 ERA). Coverage begins at 6:50 p.m. on MiLB.tv, MyrtleBeachPelicans.com/Broadcast, the MiLB First Pitch app and TuneIn.
Tuesday's contest is a Craft Beer Tuesday, meaning $2.00 12 oz. craft draughts from 6-8 p.m. at TicketReturn.Com Field at Pelicans Ballpark. Gates will open at 6 p.m. 
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].