Myrtle Beach drops opener in marathon game

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (May 31, 2017)- Myrtle Beach dropped the opener of their four-game set against Down East in a marathon game that lasted 14 innings Wednesday and saw six different Pelicans pitchers in a 4-3 defeat against the Wood Ducks from TicketReturn.Com Field at Pelicans Ballpark. 
The Wood Ducks (21-31) would prevail in the 14th inning against Myrtle Beach (28-25) reliever Marc Huberman (0-2). Jairo Beras led off the frame with a base hit before advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt laid down by Brallan Perez. With Arturo Lara batting, Beras advanced to third base on a wild pitch. Lara would reach first base on an error that also allowed Beras to score, giving the Wood Ducks the 4-3 advantage in extras.

Down East would strike first in the top of the opening frame. Eduard Pinto doubled to lead off the ball game before advancing to third on a sac bunt laid down by LeDarious Clark. Pinto would score a batter later on an RBI ground out by Josh Morgan to give the Wood Ducks the early 1-0 advantage. 
The Wood Ducks would extend their lead with a run in the second. Josh Altmann led off the frame with a base hit before advancing to third on a single from Chuck Moorman. With runners on the corners, Carlos Arroyo grounded into a double play, which allowed Altmann to score to give the Woodies the 2-0 advantage. 
Myrtle Beach rallied back in the bottom of the fourth inning. Bryant Flete  led off the frame with his tenth double of the season before advancing to third on a ground out. With one out in the inning, Daniel Spingola rifled a base hit into right field that scored Flete to give Myrtle Beach their first tally of the game. With two outs in the frame, Eddy Martinez continued the rally with an infield single, advancing Spingola to second. Tyler Alamo drove in the second run of the inning by singling to left field, scoring Spingola and tying the game at two. Jesse Hodges then laced a base hit to left that scored Martinez, giving the Birds their first lead of the game. 
With the Pelicans clinging to the one-run advantage, Down East fought back in the seventh to tie the game. With one out in the frame, Tyler Sanchez reached base on a wild pitch strikeout before being replaced by Beras, who entered the game as a pinch-runner. Beras would steal second base with Perez batting, and then would score on a single from Eduard Pinto to knot the game up at three.
The Pelicans bullpen tandem of Scott Effross,  Pedro Araujo, Dillion Maples, Jordan Minch and Huberman allowed just two runs, one earned, in 10 innings of work. 
Myrtle Beach will look to bounce back in game two of the series with LHP Ryan Kellogg (1-3, 5.01 ERA) on the mound Thursday at 7:05 p.m. to oppose LHP Wes Benjamin (3-4, 5.75). Coverage begins at 6:50 p.m. on MiLB.tv, MyrtleBeachPelicans.com/Broadcast, the MiLB First Pitch app and TuneIn.
Thursday's contest is Thirsty Thursday, featuring $1.00 12 oz. Bud & Bud Light draughts and $2.00 16 oz cans from 6-8 p.m. Gates will open at 6:00 p.m. at TicketReturn.Com Field at Pelicans Ballpark.
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].