Pelicans down sloppy Mudcats to split series

ZEBULON, N.C. (May 29, 2017) - Robert Garcia homered and Justin Steele struck out seven over five strong innings Monday to help the Myrtle Beach Pelicans down the Carolina Mudcats 6-3 to record a series split and vault back into second place at Five County Stadium.
The game was scoreless when Matt Rose reached on the first of six Carolina errors to begin the second. A Tyler Alamo single put runners on the corners. Trent Giambrone followed with an RBI ground out and then Jesse Hodges singled in Alamo to make it 2-0 Myrtle Beach (28-24). Carolina (27-24) starter Cody Ponce (5-4) then served up a two-run shot to Garcia to increase the Birds' lead to 4-0.

Luis Aviles Jr. hit a leadoff homer against Steele (3-3) in the third to get Carolina on the board. Two batters later, Carlos Belonis doubled before Corey Ray singled him to third. Troy Stokes Jr. then lifted a sacrifice fly to left to cut the deficit to 4-2.
That would be the only damage against Steele in his five innings of work. The southpaw surrendered just three hits without walking a batter. He struck out seven in his fifth straight start of no more than two earned runs allowed.
Mike Rucker came into the game in the sixth and struck out the side. The right-hander wound up whiffing a career-high six in 3.1 frames, which matched a career-best. Dillon Maples recorded the final two outs of the game to seal the win.
Myrtle Beach led 4-2 in the fourth when Alamo, who had two hits, singled to begin the inning. Two batters later, Hodges was hit by a pitch. Two batters after that, Bryant Flete recorded the first of his two RBI singles to make it 5-2.
With the score the same, Garcia walked with two outs in the sixth before going to second on an error. Flete then singled him in to pad the lead at 6-2.
After a league-wide off day on Tuesday, the Pelicans return home for a 7:05 p.m. first pitch on Wednesday, as Myrtle Beach begins a four-game series with Down East. RHP Oscar De La Cruz (4-2, 3.42 ERA) takes the ball against Wood Ducks RHP Emerson Martinez (0-5, 6.83 ERA). Coverage begins at 6:50 p.m. on MiLB.tv, MyrtleBeachPelicans.com/Broadcast, the MiLB First Pitch app and TuneIn.
Wednesday's contest is a Wiener Wednesday, presented by Hebrew National, meaning BOGO hot dogs all night long. Gates open at 6 p.m. from TicketReturn.Com Field at Pelicans Ballpark.
The Pelicans will vie for a series split in Monday's 2 p.m. contest, sending LHP Justin Steele (2-3, 2.44 ERA) to the bump against Carolina RHP Cody Ponce (5-3, 3.26 ERA). Coverage begins at 1:45 p.m. on MyrtleBeachPelicans.com, the MiLB First Pitch app and TuneIn.
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].