Delgado, Pelicans fall as bats fail to produce

MYRTLE BEACH -- Randall Delgado got some very good advice early in the year.

Ignore his record.

Good thing. On Monday, the Pelicans pitcher threw another seven very impressive innings. Yet, because of lack of run support, he added another loss to his record in a 2-0 defeat to Wilmington.

"First, I cared," Delgado said. "Then, the staff [said] 'just keep throwing like you've been pitching.' And that's it."

Delgado was stout on the mound against the Blue Rocks. He allowed just one run on four hits. He also struck out nine while walking just one.

The one truly bad pitch he made came in the fifth, when Wilmington left fielder Rene Oriental lined a pitch into the gap in left center. The double brought Nick Francis around from first, and it was the lone damage the Blue Rocks got off big righty.

It dropped Delgado's ERA to 2.76.

Still, he received no offensive support from his teammates, and after two consecutive wins, his win-loss tally dropped to 4-7.

The frustration came to a head in the eighth. Mychal Jones was called out on strikes by home plate umpire Tyler Wilson.

Jones, believing the pitch was outside, threw his bat on the ground. Before he could get a word in, though, Wilson ejected the shortstop.

The strikeout was the second of the inning, and it was eventually followed up by Cory Harrilchak making it three in a row. The Birds then failed to get anything going in the ninth, and Wilmington took the opening game in the three-game series.

"You can't win," manager Rocket Wheeler said, "if you don't score."

Return of G-Rod

Pelicans slugger Gerry Rodriguez will likely find himself in the lineup very soon.

Rodriguez, who was suspended May 21 for amphetamine use - a violation of Minor League Baseball's Drug Prevention and Treatment Program - is officially done with his 50-game suspension. He was scheduled to fly to Myrtle Beach late Monday evening.

"We're going to talk to him and see where he his, [find out] how much he's done," Wheeler said. "How ready he is, I don't know until I see him and talk to him."

Wheeler said Rodriguez has maintained a workout and batting practice regimen. Before the suspension, Rodriguez was batting .239 with 65 strikeouts. But the organization overlooked those numbers in lieu of his eight home runs and 24 RBIs.

"If he's ready to go, he's in the lineup," Wheeler said. "Where's he going to get game experience? This is where he is. We're going to throw him in the fire."

E --Colon (6, fielding), Jones, Mi (4, throw), Kreke, J (2, throw). LOB--Willmington 5, Myrtle Beach 5. 2B -- Oriental (2, Delgado, Ra), Miles (4, Paukovits). SB-Francis, N (4, 2nd base off Delgado, Ra/Schlehuber), Harrilchak, C (2, 2nd base off Paukovits/Myers, W), Sime (5, 2nd base off Paukovits/Myers, W).

WP-- Paukovits. Umpires--Home, Tyler Wilson; First, Joey Amaral. T--2:26. A--3,464.