Winston-Salem finally finds key to victory against Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Winston-Salem Dash finally figured out a way to beat the Myrtle Beach Pelicans.

After dropping their first four games against Myrtle Beach this season, the Dash scored the go-ahead run on a throwing error in the top of the seventh inning to take a 3-2 win Friday night at TicketReturn.com Field at Pelicans Ballpark.

Friday night's Pelicans box score

Myrtle Beach (9-5), which had its lead in the Carolina League’s Southern Division cut to two games with the loss, swept Winston-Salem (6-9) in a three-game series on the road that ended last Saturday and began this week’s four-game series with 6-0 win Thursday.

“They’re a good team. They came in and played well against us at our place,” Dash manager Tim Esmay said. “I guess the beauty is we turned around and played them again, so we know each other. I think we did a good job of executing late, which we haven’t had too many opportunities to do. So anytime you do that it’s always good, then when your bullpen holds the lead that’s all you’re looking for.”

The Pelicans failed to take advantage of another outstanding start by 20-year-old Duane Underwood (2-0). The Cubs’ 2012 second-round draft pick got a no-decision after throwing five innings and 76 pitches, including 48 strikes. He gave up four hits, one earned run and two walks while striking out three, and his earned-run average rose from 0.82 to a still paltry 1.13.

“Duane came out throwing the ball really well,” Pelicans manager Mark Johnson said. “Duane has come a long way not only physically but mentally. He’s grown up, he’s matured. He’s got a long way to go but he’s made some huge strides on the mound with his presence, with his demeanor, with his stuff, just having more confidence and it’s showing early this season.”

Myrtle Beach, which made eight errors in its first 13 games, made two infield throwing errors Friday that each allowed a run.

“It was kind of a funky game tonight, it just had a weird vibe, a weird feel,” Johnson said, “and we made some uncharacteristic outs swinging early first pitch on some at-bats we probably shouldn’t have. It was just one of those games we couldn’t get it done.”

Underwood gave up a pair of one-out singles in the first inning but escaped with a groundout.

Winston-Salem scored the game’s first run in the third inning when Adam Engel was hit by a pitch, stole second and scored on a Jake Peter single.

The Dash added an unearned run in the top of the fifth when Pelicans shortstop Daniel Lockhart threw to the backstop trying to get Keenyn Walker out at the plate. Lockhart took a force-out throw at second on a grounder to second baseman Wes Darvill and threw wildly to home after Walker took a wide turn around third base.

Myrtle Beach tied the game in the bottom of the fifth off Dash starter Robinson Leyer.

The Pelicans loaded the bases with one out on a Darvill single to left field, Alberto Mineo walk and Jacob Hannemann infield single. Darvill scored when second baseman Cleulius Rondon dropped a chopper up the middle in his haste to turn a double play that would have ended the inning, and Mineo scored on a Billy McKinney sacrifice fly.

Myrtle Beach lefthanded reliever Gerardo Concepcion gave up the winning run in the top of the seventh inning on his own throwing error but escaped further damage to keep Myrtle Beach within a run.

Rondon doubled to lead off the inning and scored when Concepcion air-mailed his throw to first base on a Walker bunt. Walker stole second and third in the midst of a Peter walk with one out before Concepcion (0-2) struck out Trey Michalczewski and Keon Barnum to end the inning.

Right-handed South African Tayler Scott allowed just one hit with four strikeouts in two shutout innings to close out the game for Myrtle Beach.

Myrtle Beach’s only threat to score in the final four innings came in the eighth when it got a runner to second base with two outs, but a fly out ended the inning. The Pelicans went in order in three of their final four innings.

In addition to his sacrifice fly, McKinney had two of the Pelicans’ seven hits – all singles – to up his average to .349 this season.

Myrtle Beach fell to 4-4 at home to go along with a 5-1 road record.

This story was originally published April 24, 2015 at 11:29 PM with the headline "Winston-Salem finally finds key to victory against Myrtle Beach Pelicans."