Mudcats lose 4-2 and drop road series to Pelicans

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - The Mudcats lost an early 1-0 lead after giving up four runs and four hits in the second while falling 4-2 to the Pelicans in the rubber game of a three series at TicketReturn.Com Field in Myrtle Beach on Sunday night.

The Pelicans (61-58, 18-31) scored all four of their runs in the second and never gave the lead back while winning the series two games to one. Frank Lopez started for Carolina (57-61, 21-29) and allowed all four Myrtle Beach runs while giving up four hits in the second and took the loss.
Tyler Alamo started the second with a single to center and Tyler Pearson followed with a two-run home run to left-center. Lopez then walked Adonis Paula before giving up a double to Connor Myers, a sacrifice fly to Roberto Caro and finally a RBI single to Zack Short. 
Myrtle Beach led 4-1 after the second, but did not score again in the game. They also totaled just one other hit the rest of the way as Lopez (3-5, 6.89) settled in following the four run frame. Lopez went on to hold the Pelicans to just one other hit and walked just one other batter while working through the sixth. In all, Lopez gave up four runs on five hits and four walks while taking the loss.
Carolina led first in Sunday's series finale after getting a run in the second on a RBI single from Cooper Hummel. Lucas Erceg led off the second with a double and scored on Hummel's hit off starter Kyle Miller. The Mudcats then fell behind 4-1 after two, but went on to score one more run in the third on a two-out RBI single by Corey Ray. Ray's hit was first of two on the night and scored Jose Cuas after Cuas had reached on a single earlier in the inning.
Miller (4-3, 4.38) earned the win for the Pelicans after striking out two and allowing just the two early runs on five hits over five innings pitched. 
Relievers Marc Huberman, Tommy Thorpe and Scott Effross followed Miller and managed to hold the Mudcats scoreless while yielding just one other hit the rest of the way. Huberman worked through an inning and 2/3 and allowed one hit and one walk. Thorpe pitched through an inning and a third and struck out three. Effross later earned the save after working a scoreless ninth with a man left on at second.
Brad Kuntz followed Lopez and pitched through the final two frames with two strikeouts. He also faced just six batters while working through two, three up, three down frames.
The Mudcats stranded a man on base in the ninth and left six men on overall in the loss. They also went just 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position while coming short in the series finale loss. 
The Pelicans stranded four, including two in the second, while going just 1-for-2 with runners in scoring position in the victory.
UP NEXT: The Mudcats continue their seven game roadtrip on Monday night with game one of four against the Down East Wood Ducks. Monday's game is scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m. at Grainger Stadium in Kinston. The game will air on the Mudcats Radio Network, The Big Dawg 98.5 FM and online at carolinamudcats.com via TuneIn Radio.
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