Myrtle Beach Pelicans bounce back with win over Wilmington Blue Rocks
Final score
Myrtle Beach Pelicans 6, Wilmington Blue Rocks 3 (Box score)
Turning point
After Wilmington – which won 9-4 Thursday in the first contest of the four-game series – tied Myrtle Beach 3-3 in the top of the fifth, the Pelicans scored two runs in the bottom half as catcher Ian Rice had an RBI double and infielder David Bote hit an RBI single and they never trailed after that.
Insurance
In the bottom of the seventh, outfielder Jeffrey Baez drove in Bote on a single to put Myrtle Beach ahead by the final margin.
The man
Pelicans outfielder Charcer Burks, who was 3-for-5 with two doubles, one RBI and one run scored.
Streaking
Burks has now reached base safely in each his last 22 games and is batting .303 with 12 RBIs and 17 runs during that span.
Right behind you
While Burks is the Pelicans’ leadoff hitter, batting second right behind him on most nights is fellow outfielder Rashad Crawford and both have been on fire lately. After Friday’s contest, Crawford has now reached base safely in 17 of his last 19 and owns an impressive .342/.419/.500 slash line during that span.
He said it
We got it done. It was a good way to bounce back, especially after [yesterday’s loss]. … Moving forward, we just need to play consistent and stay healthy; we’ve had a lot of guys getting injured lately. If we do that, hopefully we can get first place and make the playoffs.I’m just being patient at the plate, looking for my pitch to hit and trying to help this team win every time I go out there. … It’s great right now, and – through the years – any time I’ve batted behind Charcer, we always say we’re that ‘one-two combo.’ We’re both seeing the ball well right now and we just have to keep it up. But it’s great with him batting ahead of me; it makes my job a lot easier.
Crawford
Decision takers
W–Trevor Clifton. L–Matt Tenuta. S–Ryan McNeil.
7 is a lonely number?
Clifton has been one of the best and most consistent arms for the Pelicans, but has failed to reach the seventh inning in any of his 17 starts in a Myrtle Beach uniform. A Carolina League midseason all-star, Clifton owns a 3.32 ERA and has 89 strikeouts in 81 1/3 innings pitched.
Dealing
Pelicans closer Ryan McNeil picked up his Carolina League-leading 14th save after striking out one in a scoreless ninth inning Friday.
By the numbers
Keeping records
Wilmington Blue Rocks (35-62 overall, 8-20 second half), Myrtle Beach Pelicans (50-48, 14-14)
Max McKinnon: 843-626-0302, @mmckinnonTSN
Next up
Who: Wilmington Blue Rocks at Myrtle Beach Pelicans
Where: TicketReturn.com Field at Pelicans Ballpark
When: 7:05 p.m. Saturday
Listen: MyrtleBeachPelicans.com/Broadcast or TuneIn Radio App
Watch: MiLB.TV
This story was originally published July 22, 2016 at 11:50 PM with the headline "Myrtle Beach Pelicans bounce back with win over Wilmington Blue Rocks."