Birds Erase Six-Run Deficit, Nip K-Tribe 8-7
August 7, 2007 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans News Release
MYRTLE BEACH, SC - Eric Campbell drilled a two-run homer to tie the game and Michael Fisher then capped a four-hit night with a two-run single to center as the Pelicans erased a one-time 6-0 deficit to edge Kinston 8-7 at Coastal Federal Field Tuesday night. The Pelicans improved to 24-20 in the second half and 54-59 overall and stayed three games in front of Salem in the wild card hunt, while Kinston fell to 27-15 and 72-39.
Matt Whitney's two-run homer and Jerad Head's two-run double highlighted a five-run first for the Indians, and Josh Rodriguez's solo home run in the second put the visitors ahead by a half-dozen. The Pelicans steadily chipped away however, getting on the board in the second with a two-run single by Derrick Arnold. Reliever Tyler Bullock escaped a bases-loaded jam in the top of the third with no damage done, and Myrtle Beach then added two more runs in the bottom of the frame. Roberto Alvarez and Willie Cabrera opened the inning with back-to-back doubles to make it 6-3, and then with two away Larry Williams crushed a two-bagger the opposite way to left to plate Cabrera and draw the Birds to within 6-4.
Finally, in the bottom of the sixth, the Pelicans came all the way back. Fisher ripped a one-out double past a surprised-looking Josh Hodges at third and into the left field corner, and that brought Campbell to the plate as the potential tying run. Southpaw Ryan Edell got ahead in the count 1-2, but Campbell sent the next pitch deep over the left-center field fence to even things up at 6-6.
Kinston retook the lead in frustrating fashion in the seventh, as Payano had two outs and two strikes on Head only to see him flare an RBI single into shallow left field to score Hodges and give the Indians a 7-6 lead. Myrtle Beach got over the hump in the bottom of the inning though, as Arnold hustled his way to a double to put men at second and third with two away. The K-Tribe worked around hot-hitting Jordan Schafer with four pitches that weren't close to the zone to load the bases, and Fisher made them pay with a broken-bat single to center for the winning margin.
Payano (3-4) allowed just a run on three hits over three innings of stellar relief, walking none and striking out five. Kyle Collins (2-3) took the loss for Kinston. Kris Medlen worked around a one-out double in the eighth for his fourth hold, and Sung Ki Jung stranded a pair in the ninth for his 18th save in 20 chances. Fisher finished 4-5 for his second career four-hit effort to lead the offense, and Alvarez went 2-4 to extend his hitting streak to 10 games. Arnold and Quentin Davis also had two hits, while Fisher, Campbell and Arnold all drove in two runs each.
Game three in this four-game series is set for 7:05 p.m. Wednesday, as Jairo Cuevas (6-9, 3.47 ERA) takes the hill for the Pelicans opposite Kinston's Frank Herrmann (7-5, 4.58 ERA). It's Back-to-School Night at the ballpark, and fans who bring an item for the school supplies drive will receive a $1 discount on their tickets. The game broadcast begins at 6:45 p.m. with the RSC Equipment Rental pre-game show on ESPN Radio the Team (93.7 FM, 93.9 FM, and 1050 AM) and online at www.myrtlebeachpelicans.com. For more information, please call the Pelicans at (843) 918-6002.
Notes: Schafer (0-3) drew two walks but was the only Pelican without a hit, snapping his hitting streak at 15 games...Alvarez is on his second double-digit hit streak of the year after an 18-game run June 27th-July 18th...Jung's 18 saves are fourth-most in Pelicans single-season history.
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Carolina League Stories from August 7, 2007
- Birds Erase Six-Run Deficit, Nip K-Tribe 8-7 - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Rocks Use 13 Hits to Beat Warthogs - Wilmington Blue Rocks
- Pelicans Nip Kinston, 8-7 - Kinston Indians
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- Wilmington Beats the Heat, Hogs - Winston-Salem Dash
- Pelicans Game Notes - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- K-Tribe Game Notes - Kinston Indians
- Winston-Salem Warthogs to Host Two-Time Cy Young Winner Denny McLain on August 13 - Winston-Salem Dash
- Blue Rocks Game Notes - Wilmington Blue Rocks
- Hillcats Game Notes - Lynchburg Hillcats
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