Five-run eighth inning propels Birds to comeback win

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (May 21, 2018) - Trialing 5-3 in the eighth inning on Monday night, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans used a five-run frame to down the Lynchburg Hillcats 8-5 from TicketReturn.Com Field at Pelicans Ballpark. 
With one out in the eighth inning, the Pelicans (18-26) received back-to-back singles from Kevonte Mitchell and Daniel Spingola . Andruw Monasterio drew a pinch-hit walk and, two batters later, Aramis Ademan walked with the bases-loaded to drive in a run and pulls Myrtle Beach to within 5-3. On the very next pitch, Connor Myers lined a two-run single against Lynchburg (22-19) reliever Ben Krauth (1-1) into left field to give the Pelicans their first lead. P.J. Higgins then struck with a two-run double of his own to make it 8-5.

Bailey Clark (1-1) earned his first High-A win with 3.1 stellar innings in which he only allowed one hit while striking out six and walking three. Wyatt Short saved the game, his second of the season, by recording the last two outs of the contest. After Tyson Miller struck out six in his start, the Birds matched a season-high with 14 strikeouts on the night.
An explosive first inning for the Hillcats put the Birds in an early hole. Mitch Longo banged a solo home run on the first pitch of the game and the Hillcats added four more runs on a two-run single by Emmanuel Tapia, an RBI single by Logan Ice and a wild pitch that scored Anthony Miller. 
Myrtle Beach fought back in the bottom of the first with the long ball. Jhonny Pereda and Tyler Alamo bashed back-to-back home runs to make it 5-2 Lynchburg. It was the second home run in as many days for Pereda and his fourth of the season while Alamo's extended his team lead with his seventh. 
The Birds drew a run closer in the fourth on an RBI infield single by Spingola and that put them in striking distance for the eighth inning. 
Myrtle Beach meets Lynchburg for game two at 7:05 p.m. on Tuesday from TicketReturn.Com Field at Pelicans Ballpark. LHP Bryan Hudson  (3-3, 5.23 ERA) pitches against Lynchburg RHP Justin Garza (2-1, 2.16 ERA). Coverage begins at 6:50 p.m. on MiLB.tv, MyrtleBeachPelicans.com/Broadcast, the MiLB First Pitch app and TuneIn.
Tuesday's contest is a $2 Tacos and Tallboys presented by Abuelo's Mexican Restaurant.
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].