Myrtle Beach Pelicans' Crim tosses gem for win over Lynchburg Hillcats

MYRTLE BEACH -- Matt Crim put a rough start to the month of July behind him and Myrtle Beach built on an early lead Thursday night as the Pelicans topped the Lynchburg Hillcats 6-0 at BB&T Coastal Field.

Crim (5-9), a former standout at The Citadel, had given up 14 earned runs and 18 hits in 101/3 innings while walking seven and striking out just four in his last two starts, both losses. His ERA for the month was 12.19 and 5.03 for the season.

But Thursday night was a story with a much happier ending. The lefthander stopped a personal four-game slide, scattering five hits over seven innings with no runs, six strikeouts and three walks while lowering his season ERA to 4.70.

"I've had some mechanical issues in the last two starts that [pitching coach Kent Willis and the pitching staff] have been helping me out with," Crim said. "I had confidence tonight. Normally I would get down and pitch cautious instead of aggressive. I'm an aggressive pitcher, so I went out there, and it didn't matter if a runner was on, I knew I was going to make my pitch no matter what."

Crim found himself in trouble in the fourth when he gave up back-to-back singles to Neftali Soto and Denis Phipps, but battled back and got Brodie Greene to go down swinging, Kevin Coddington to fly out and Shane Carlson to hit into a 6-4 play that got Phipps at second to end the inning.

"After those two singles I knew I needed to get a strikeout and maybe a ground ball. Once I struck the guy out, I went change-up away to the next guy and he [flied out]," Crim said. "I know my defense behind me is going to makes plays as long as I get them ground balls."

The Pelicans (35-56 overall, 9-12 second half) got on the board first in the second inning when Luis Sumoza reached on a fielder's choice, then went to second when Braeden Schlehuber was hit by a pitch in his first at-bat with the Pelicans. An L.V. Ware single scored Sumoza and Schlehuber went to third and Ware to second on a throwing error. Cole Miles' long sac fly to center field brought home Schlehuber and Mycal Jones doubled to the corner in left field to drive in Ware and put Myrtle Beach ahead 3-0.

The Pelicans added another run in the fourth when Ware led off with a triple and scored on a Miles sacrifice.

Chase Ware (0-1) took the loss for Lynchburg (37-53, 8-12). Ware, who was making just his second start for the Hillcats after working mostly out of the bullpen since being called up from low-A Dayton, hadn't given up an earned run in 122/3 innings until Sumoza crossed the plate. He came out after allowing four runs on five hits with two walks and two strikeouts.

In the bottom of the sixth, Sumoza and Schlehuber both singled and moved ahead on a wild pitch by Hillcats reliever Curtis Partch, then Sumoza came home on another RBI single from Miles and Schlehuber scored on a single by Mycal Jones to extend the lead to 6-0.

Paul Clemens closed out the game with two innings of two-hit scoreless relief for Myrtle Beach.

After going 3-for-4 last night in his Myrtle Beach debut, Jordan Kreke was 0-for-4. Schlehuber, who was promoted from low-A Rome earlier Thursday, was 1-for-3 and was hit by a pitch with two runs scored. Miles was 1-for-3 with three RBIs, Mycal Jones was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and Mike Jones was 2-for-4.

In all, Myrtle Beach was 4-for-9 with runners in scoring position, while Lynchburg was 0-for-8.

Myrtle Beach's win tied the four-game series at a game apiece. Julio Teheran (RHP, 3-3, 2.92) will start Game 3 tonight for the Pelicans against the Hillcats' James Avery (RHP, 4-3, 3.40).

E: Fellhauer (6), Carlson, S (5). LOB:Lynchburg 9, Myrtle Beach 6. 2B: Mendez, C (20); Jones, My (10). 3B: Ware (2). SB: Fellhauer (7).

WP: Partch. HBP: Schlehuber (by Ware). Umpires: HP: Joey Amaral. 1B: Tyler Wilson. T: 2:17. Att: 5,217.