Bullpen fires Pelicans to 4-2 win

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (May 5, 2017) - Jesse Hodges slammed a home run and Dillon Maples and Craig Brooks dominated out of the Myrtle Beach bullpen to help the Pelicans to a 4-2 win Friday over the Buies Creek Astros at TicketReturn.Com Field at Pelicans Ballpark.
Down 1-0, Myrtle Beach's (16-13) offense found life in the bottom of the third inning. Hodges' solo blast leading off the inning off Buies Creek (19-10) starter Elieser Hernandez (2-3) knotted the game up at one. Robert Garcia followed Hodges with a base hit into left field. Carlos Sepulveda ripped a double just inside the right field line, scoring Garcia from first base to give the Birds the 2-1 advantage. Bryant Flete then dropped down a sac bunt to move Sepulveda to third with just one out in the inning. The next batter, Trent Giambrone , promptly drove in Sepulveda with a sac fly to center field, extending the lead to 3-1. 

With Myrtle Beach ahead 4-2, things would get dicey in the top of the seventh inning. The first three Astros walked to start the frame, loading the bases for Buies Creek. Maples (4-0) then entered the contest, inheriting a bases-loaded situation with no outs. Maples struck out Dexture McCall for the first out. The next batter, Jason Martin, popped out in the infield for out number two. Maples then struck out Eduardo de Oleo to escape the jam without surrendering a run, keeping the Pelicans 4-2 advantage intact. 
The right-hander would go two perfect innings with three punchouts to earn the win.
Craig Brooks relieved Maples in the top of the ninth inning. Brooks surrendered a leadoff single to Myles Straw to open up the frame, but then proceeded to strike out the following three Buies Creek batters to seal his second save and the Birds' 4-2 triumph. 
Buies Creek struck first blood in the top of the second inning, as Ryne Birk delivered an opposite field solo home run to give the Astros the early 1-0 lead. 
With Myrtle Beach ahead 3-1, Jason Martin led off the top of the sixth inning for the Astros with a base hit. De Oleo singled and Birk walked ot load the bases. Anthong Hermelyn then hit an RBI ground out to pull the 'Stros to within one. However, a double play ground ball got Myrtle Beach out of the frame without further damage.
The Birds would grab the run right back from the Astros in the bottom of the sixth. Giambrone started the inning with a hot shot single into right field. Eddy Martinez followed Giambrone by reaching base via a walk. With one out in the inning, the Astros elected to intentionally walk Daniel Spingola to load the bases. Following a strikeout, a wild pitch brought in Giambrone to extend the Pelicans lead to 4-2.
Myrtle Beach and Buies Creek will play the third contest of their four-game series on Saturday at 7:05 p.m. from TicketReturn.Com Field at Pelicans Ballpark. RHP Oscar De La Cruz (1-2, 4.24 ERA) will get the nod for the Birds against Buies Creek RHPJustin Ferrell (2-1, 7.50 ERA). Television coverage of Saturday's contest begins at 7 p.m. on The CW21 and MiLB.tv. A radio broadcast starts at 6:50 p.m. on MyrtleBeachPelicans.com/Broadcast, the MiLB First Pitch app and TuneIn.
The Pelicans will continue their Teacher's Appreciation Night tomorrow, presented by Sparks Toyota, in addition to a Postgame Fireworks Extravaganza presented by East Coast Pyrotechnics Fireworks following the conclusion of the game between the Birds and the Astros. Saturday's contest is also a Locals Appreciation Saturday, presented by Sparks Toyota and WMBF News, meaning all local fans can show their ID at the box office for $3.00 off their admission price.
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]