Berg, Mekkes shine in Pelicans' extra-inning win over Dash

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - (August 14, 2017) - The Myrtle Beach Pelicans won their third straight game for the first time in the second half of the season behind a strong outing from the club's bullpen Monday in their 5-3 win in 12 innings over the Winston-Salem Dash from BB&T Ballpark.
With the game tied at three in the top of the 12th inning, Myrtle Beach (62-58, 19-31) broke through against Winston-Salem (48-72, 24-26). With one out in the frame, Tyler Alamo  singled to right field before he was pinch-ran for by Roberto Caro. Connor Myers  followed Alamo with an infield bunt single. With two outs in the frame, a Zack Short coupled with a Dash error plated both Caro and Myers to give the Birds a 5-3 lead.

Myrtle Beach right-hander Thomas Hatch rolled after the first inning, hurling five innings of one-run baseball while striking out six. Myrtle Beach's bullpen dominated in the contest. The tandem of Jordan Minch, David Berg and Dakota Mekkes (3-1) teamed up to toss seven innings and yield just two runs on two hits, with Mekkes picking up his third win the of the season. Berg matched a career-high with three perfect frames.
Winston-Salem struck first against Myrtle Beach, as Sam Dexter drew a one-out walk in the first inning before scoring on a Zack Collins triple to right field. 
With the score still 1-0 in the fourth, P.J. Higgins kicked off the frame to right field before advancing to third on an error that allowed Trent Giambrone to reach first base. After a groundout put both runners in scoring position, a wild pitch allowed Higgins to score to tie the game at one. Vimael Machin then drew a one-out walk before Eddy Martinez lifted an RBI single to center field to give Myrtle Beach their first lead of the game at 2-1.
The Pelicans would add on to their lead in the fifth. Short ripped a two-out double to center field before scoring on a single from Higgins to make the tally 3-1. 
Collins led off the bottom of the seventh inning for the Dash with a double to left-center field. A two-run home run from Jameson Fisher then tied the game at three.
Myrtle Beach will engage in a doubleheader Tuesday at 5 p.m. against Winston-Salem. The Birds will send LHP Ryan Kellogg (3-7, 5.63 ERA) to the mound in game one to oppose LHP Bernardo Flores (2-3, 4.19 ERA). The finale will feature Myrtle Beach RHP Casey Bloomquist (3-5, 7.04 ERA) against Dash RHP Kelvis Valerio (3-3, 5.26 ERA). Coverage will begin at 4:45 p.m. on MyrtleBeachPelicans.com, TuneIn and the MiLB First Pitch app. 
The 2017 season is the 19th season for the Pelicans franchise and third as the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. For information on tickets to see the Pelicans in 2017, please call (843) 918-6000, e-mail [email protected], or visit www.MyrtleBeachPelicans.com.
ABOUT THE PELICANS: The Myrtle Beach Pelicans are the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Chicago Cubs and play their home games at TicketReturn.Com Field at Pelicans Ballpark in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The park has ranked in the top eight in all of Minor League Baseball by Stadium Journey in each of the last six seasons. The same publication also placed the Pelicans in the Top 100 Stadium Experiences in all of sports in each of the last six years and the best in the Carolina League for six straight seasons as well. In May 2015, TicketReturn.Com Field at Pelicans Ballpark won the 2015 TripAdvisor.com Certificate of Excellence award. The Pelicans are the two-time defending Mills Cup Champions, winning the title in 2015 and 2016 as well as 2000 and co-Mills Cup championship honors in the inaugural 1999 season. The Pelicans have made ten postseason appearances behind 12 half-season Southern Division championships, including the first half of the 2015 season and second half of 2016. For more information on the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, please contact the Pelicans at (843) 918-6000 or emailing [email protected].