Myrtle Beach, S.C. – The Myrtle Beach Pelicans blasted their way out infront and rode a seven inning gem by Scott Diamond to defeat the Salem Avalanche 5-3. The win guarentees a fourteenth series advantage over the first half of the season.
For the first time since June 8th, the Pelicans scored first. Willie Cabrera extended his hitting streak to 16-games by cranking a solo home run over the left-center field wall to put the Pelicans up 1-0. Cabrera tied Javier Colina of the Winston-Salem Warthogs for the longest hitting streak in the Carolina League in 2008.
The Pelicans stretched their lead in the bottom of the second. Tyler Flowers ripped a first pitch single to left field to leadoff the frame. Travis Jones followed with his 10th home run of the season over the left-center field wall to give the Pelicans a 3-0 advantage.
Ernesto Mejia felt left out of the home run derby in the bottom of the fifth. Mejia kept his weight back on a breaking ball and powered it over the left field wall into Land Shark Landing to give the Pelicans a 4-0 lead.
The Avalanche and Pelicans traded runs in the sixth inning. A bases loaded walk scored Avalanche right fielder Jordan Parraz, while the Pelicans scored Travis Jones on a sacrifice fly by Concepcion Rodriguez.
Pelicans starter Scott Diamond kept the Avalanche off balance all night long. In seven innings, Diamond allowed just four hits and one run. He retired 10-straight batters between the second and fifth innings. Michael Broadway took over in the eighth and turned in a lightning quick scoreless frame.
The Avalanche mounted a surprising ninth inning charge. Reliever Tyler Wilson retired two before giving up a two-run homer into Land Shark Landing to the cut the deficit to 5-3. Wilson rebounded and fanned Roberto Mena to quell the rally and give the Pelicans their 45th win of the season.
The Pelicans have hit a Carolina League best 68 home runs in 2008. The Pelicans are well on their way to setting the franchise record for home runs in a single-season, set back in 1999 with 105 home runs.
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