Pelicans' winning streak snapped in 4-1 loss

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (August 16, 2017) - Mike Rucker struck out nine batters over six innings on Wednesday night, but the Myrtle Beach Pelicans fell 4-1 to the Winston-Salem Dash at BB&T Ballpark. 
With the score tied at one in the third inning, Winston-Salem (49-74, 25-28) took their first lead of the game against Myrtle Beach (64-59,21-32). Jameson Fisher led off the frame with a double off the center field wall. Matt Rose then joined Fisher on-base with an infield single. With one out in the frame, a double steal and Pelicans error on the play allowed Fisher to score and Rose to advance to third. Louis Silverio made the tally 3-1 with an RBI single to left field, plating Rose. 

With two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning, Yeyson Yrizarri singled to center field before scoring on an RBI double from Seby Zavala to make the score 4-1. 
Rucker (4-4) yielded just three runs, two earned, on five hits in his six frames. The right-hander's nine strikeouts came within one of a career-high, and he walked just one.
On the other side, Winston-Salem starter Alec Hansen (3-5) matched a career-high with seven innings, and the right-hander punched out 11 batters en route to his third win of the season with the Dash. 
Myrtle Beach's lone run of the contest came in the first inning. P.J. Higgins drew a one-out walk before stealing second base. Tyler Alamo , who had two hits, knocked home Higgins with a base hit a batter later, which gave the Birds an early 1-0 advantage. 
With one out in the bottom of the first, Bryant Flete swatted a ground-rule double to left field. He scored with two outs in the frame on an RBI single from Fisher to tie the game at one. 
Myrtle Beach and Winston-Salem will play the finale of their five-game set on Thursday at 7 p.m. from BB&T Ballpark. The Birds will send RHP Duncan Robinson (3-3, 2.34 ERA) to the mound to oppose RHP Dane Dunning (5-5, 3.43 ERA). Coverage will begin at 6:45 p.m. on MyrtleBeachPelicans.com, TuneIn and the MiLB First Pitch app. 
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]