Pelicans' magic number down to one

By: Matt Lincoln | SCNow
Published: June 06, 2008

The Pelicans magic number is down to one after finishing off a four game sweep of the Warthogs, 4-1 on Thursday night at BB&T Coastal Field. The Pelicans have not made the playoffs since 2002.

The Pelicans will take a seven-game winning streak into Grainger Stadium, home of the Kinston Indians, on Friday. Kinston fell 6-5 in the completion of a suspended game from a night ago, but they were able to defeat the Blue Rocks 2-0 in a seven inning game following to keep the Pelicans from clinching the title. The Pelicans went 7-0 during their homestand and have won 13 of their last 14 games.

Similar to game two of the series, the Pelicans raced to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first behind Eric Campbell. The inning started with a crafty bunt single by Gorkys Hernandez. A walk to Willie Cabrera put two runners aboard for Eric Campbell, who launched his first home run of the season into Land Shark Landing. Campbell hit 14 long balls for Myrtle Beach in 2007.

The Pelicans plated another run in the bottom of the third. Hernandez again rallied the troops with a leadoff walk. Cabrera followed with a roped double to put runners at the corners. Then, Eric Campbell hit a hard grounder in the hole on the left side of the infield that brought home Hernandez. Behind Campbell’s fourth RBI of the night, the Pelicans took a 4-0 lead.

The Warthogs managed just one run in the eighth. C.J. Lang connected a two out single that was followed by a run scoring triple down the right field line off the bat of Paulo Orlando.

Pelicans starter Kyle Cofield (3-4) stifled the Warthogs in his finest outing of the season. In a season-high seven innings of work, he allowed just two hits and zero runs. Cofield retired the first seven batters he faced to set the tone for a marvelous start. Jeff Lyman entered in the eighth and surrendered a couple hits and a run before eventually securing the Pelicans 40th win of the season.

Warthogs starter Anthony Carter pitched well in his debut in the Carolina League. After being promoted from Kannapolis (A) just two days ago, Carter looked impressive in five innings of work, but was saddled with the loss.

The Pelicans hit the road to take on the Kinston Indians in a three-game series on Friday, June 6th at 7:00 p.m.