Buies Creek blanks Myrtle Beach to seal sweep

LILLINGTON, N.C. (April 18, 2018) - The Myrtle Beach Pelicans were shut out 9-0 in Wednesday's series finale, sealing a series sweep for the Buies Creek Astros at Jim Perry Stadium.
Buies Creek (9-5) jumped all over Myrtle Beach (3-11) starter Jose Paulino (0-2) in the second inning. A out-out error put Osvaldo Duarte on before Chas McCormick doubled him to third. A Luis Payano infield single and Pelicans error brought in both runners to make it 2-0. After a Carlos Canelon base hit, Anibal Sierra popped a three-run home run to increase the lead to 5-0. The Astros were not done, though, as Ronnie Dawson walked and stole second and third. Two batters after that, Abraham Toro singled him in before Troy Sieber notched an RBI double to put the tally at 7-0.

That was more than enough for Astros starter Brandon Bielak (2-1). The right-hander ceded just three hits in 5.2 shutout innings, striking out five against two walks. Justin Ferrell whiffed six in 3.1 scoreless for his first save, sealing the league-worst fourth Pelicans blanking.
With the score still 7-0, Sierra doubled with one out in the fourth. He would score two batters later on Josh Rojas' RBI single. The Astros would cash in one more on Payano's solo home run in the sixth.
Myrtle Beach reliever Casey Bloomquist pitched two scoreless frames out of the bullpen. 
In the three-game series, the Pelicans mustered a total of two runs on seven hits in 27 innings.
The Birds return to TicketReturn.Com Field at Pelicans Ballpark for Thursday's 7:05 p.m. contest against Down East, which starts a four-game set. RHP Tyson Miller (1-1, 2.25 ERA) takes the bump against Wood Ducks RHP Jonathan Hernández (1-1, 1.00 ERA). Coverage begins at 6:50 p.m. on MiLB.tv, MyrtleBeachPelicans.com/Broadcast, the MiLB First Pitch app and TuneIn.
Thursday's contest is a Thirsty Thursday featuring $1 12 oz. Bud & Bud Light drafts, $2 16 oz. cans and half-off Duplin Wine from 6-8 p.m.
The 2018 season is the 20th season for the Pelicans franchise and fourth as the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. For tickets visit MyrtleBeachPelicans.com/tickets, call (843) 918-6000, or visit the Pelicans Box Office.
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 six of the last seven seasons. The same publication also placed the Pelicans in the Top 100 Stadium Experiences and the best in the Carolina League for six of the past seven seasons as well. In June 2017, TicketReturn.Com Field at Pelicans Ballpark won the 2017 TripAdvisor.com Certificate of Excellence award. The Pelicans have won four Mills Cup Championships, including claims to back-to-back titles in 1999 and 2000, and again in 2015 and 2016. The Pelicans have made 11 postseason appearances behind 13 half-season Southern Division championships, including the first half of the 2015 season, second half of 2016 and first half of 2017. For more information on the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, please contact the Pelicans at (843) 918-6000 or emailing [email protected].