Paula, Hodges power Pelicans to 8-3 victory

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (August 12, 2017) - Adonis Paula matched a career-high with four hits while Jesse Hodges'  solo home run home run Saturday helped the Myrtle Beach Pelicans snap a five-game losing streak with an 8-3 victory over the Carolina Mudcats from TicketReturn.Com Field at Pelicans Ballpark. 
Hodges kicked off the scoring for Myrtle Beach (60-58, 17-31), as he launched a solo home run leading off the second inning against Carolina (57-60, 21-28) Trey Supak (3-4). With two men retired in the frame, Robert Garcia ripped a base hit into right field before stealing second base for his 15th stolen base of the season. Paula kept the rally going with an RBI single to center field, scoring Garcia to give the Pelicans a 2-0 lead in the second inning. 

Max McDowell and Wendell Rijo led off the top of the third inning with back-to-back base hits for the Mudcats before both runners advanced into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt from Jose Cuas. A Trent Clark sacrifice fly got Carolina on the board. 
Myrtle Beach answered the Muddies immediately as Roberto Caro led off the frame with a walk before advancing into scoring position with a stolen base. Zack Short laced a line drive to left field, bringing home Caro to extend the Pelicans' lead to 3-1. 
With two men retired in the sixth, Vimael Machin laced a single to left field. Eddy Martinez then doubled him in. Garcia continued the rally by walking to set up an RBI single from Paula, plating Martinez and allowing Garcia to advance to third. With the score 5-1, Garcia scored the third run of the frame, as he advanced home on a wild pitch.
In the seventh, Short, who reached base three times, led off the frame with a walk. With one out in the frame, Short stole second base before advancing to third on a single from Trent Giambrone.  With runners on the corners, Short scored on the second wild pitch from Mudcats reliever Conor Harbor to extend the Birds' lead to 7-1.
Clark kicked off the top of the eighth with a single to left field before scoring with one out on an error that allowed Caleb Whalen to reach second base. Lucas Erceg drove home the second run of the frame with a base hit to right field, scoring Whalen and making the score 7-3.
Myrtle Beach scored the final run of the contest in the eighth. Paula laced a two-out double to left field before scoring on a Caro single to center.
Duncan Robinson (3-3) was terrific for the Birds, as the right-hander tossed five innings and allowed just one run while fanning five batters. He made it through five frames on just 58 pitches.
Myrtle Beach and Carolina will play the rubber match of their three-game set on Sunday at 6:05 p.m. The Pelicans will send RHP Kyle Miller (3-3, 4.45 ERA) to the mound to oppose RHP Cody Ponce (7-8, 3.75 ERA). Sunday's contest will be televised locally on The CW21 and MiLB.TV at 6:00 p.m. with a radio broadcast beginning at 5:50 on MyrtleBeachPelicans.com/Broadcast, the MiLB First Pitch app and TuneIn.
Sunday's contest will feature a special Postgame Fireworks Extravaganza presented by East Coast Pyrotechnics Fireworks. 
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].