The Myrtle Beach Pelicans' bullpen has flown under the radar all season, a positive sign that means the relief staff has been quietly doing its job.
But on Friday night the Kinston Indians' batters finally locked in on the Pelicans' reserve arms, scoring five unanswered runs in the late innings for a 5-3 comeback victory at BB&T Coastal Field.
The Pelicans were cruising behind starter Robbie Ross, who pitched six scoreless innings and struck out seven batters before departing with a 3-0 lead to start the seventh.
But reliever Ryan Kelly immediately blew the shutout after giving up back-to-back hits to lead off the inning and, following a critical error by shortstop Leury Garcia, he allowed a two-out, two-run RBI by Tyler Holt that tied the game at 3-all. Kelly then gave up a solo home run to Anthony Gallas to start the eighth that proved to be the game-winner. Chad Bell came in for Kelly with two outs in the inning and allowed an RBI single by Chase Burnette for an insurance run for the K-Tribe.
The Pelicans struck for two runs in the second inning on RBI singles by David Paisano and Andres James, and Jared Prince added a solo homer to left field in the fifth to make it a 3-0 advantage, but it was shortlived after the departure of Ross.
Ross (8-2), the reigning Carolina League Pitcher of the Week, appeared to be getting stronger as the game progressed, striking out a total of five batters in the fifth and sixth combined. But the Pelicans opted to go to the pen and Kelly was quickly roughed up to take Ross out of contention for his Carolina League record ninth win of the season. His home run to Gallas instead earned Kelly only his second blown save in 11 attempts.
The Indians (7-2 second half, 45-33) and Pelicans (5-4, 45-33) had played in five consecutive one-run games, including last month's marathon 23-inning affair.
Myrtle Beach holds a slim 7-6 edge in their 13 meetings this season, but the Indians take a two-game lead in the second-half standings.
The Pelicans depart for a 10-game, three-stop road trip that begins tonight in Lynchburg before returning home July 13.
KinstonAB | R | H | BI | BB | SO | Avg. |
Holt cf | 5 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | .243 |
Frawley 2b | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .218 |
Gallas lf | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | .220 |
Tice dh | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .257 |
Abraham 3b | 4 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .256 |
Cannon ss | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .248 |
Toole 1b | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .268 |
Burnette ph-1b | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .238 |
Perez | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .240 |
Cid rf | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .171 |
Totals36 | 5 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 11 | |
Myr BeachAB | R | H | BI | BB | SO | Avg. |
Garcia ss | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .271 |
Prince dh | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .270 |
Strausborger cf | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .294 |
DiFazio c | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | .228 |
Adair lf | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .333 |
Paisano rf | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .229 |
Hilligoss 3b | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .251 |
James 2b | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .195 |
Bolden 1b | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .247 |
Totals34 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 9 | |
Kinston | 000 | 000 | 320 | -- | 5 | 10 | 0 |
M. Beach | 020 | 010 | 000 | -- | 3 | 8 | 1 |
E--Garcia (23, fielding). LOB--Kinston 6, Myrtle Beach 7. 2B--Abraham 2 (21, Kelly, Kelly), Holt (10, Kelly). Adar (6, Pomeranz). Outfield assists--Holt (Garcia at 3rd base). DP-(Perez, R-Cannon). (Garcia-James-Bolden). CS-Paisano (3, 2nd base by Pomeranz/Perez, R). PB-DiFazio (2).
Kinston | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
Pomeranz | 5.1 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 2.06 |
Jimenez (W, 3-1) | 2.1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3.90 |
Jones (H, 5) | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.74 |
Guilmet (S, 19) | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.95 |
Myr. Beach | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
Ross | 6.0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 2.49 |
Kelly (BS, 2)(L, 2-4) | 1.2 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 4.96 |
Bell | 1.1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.60 |
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