Pelicans edge Mudcats 2-1
Ian Rice hit a go-ahead home run in the eighth and Jake Stinnett held Carolina to just one unearned run over eight innings as the Pelicans defeated the Mudcats 2-1 in the finale of a four game series on Sunday night in Myrtle Beach.
Rice’s home run in the eighth broke a 1-1 tie and was a two-out, solo shot off Carolina reliever Sean McLaughlin. The homer was his first with the Pelicans (38-36, 2-2) and one of two hits allowed by McLaughlin (3-3, 1.35) over two innings pitched.
Stinnett (6-3, 3.36) earned the win after pitching through eight complete with just one unearned run in the victory. Stinnett scattered four hits, walked one and struck out five in the victory. Ryan McNeil (S, 8) pitched the ninth and pitched around two hits while earning his eighth save of the season.
Ryan Clark started for the Mudcats (31-43, 2-2) and turned in one of his finer starts of the season after holding the Pelicans to just one run over six innings pitched. Clark yielded just four hits, walked one and struck out five while throwing 103 pitches (64 strikes) over a six inning no decision. The Mudcats fell to 1-13 in games started by Clark this season after Sunday’s loss.
Clark lost a 1-0 lead in the third after giving up a solo home run to Charcer Burks, but held the Pelicans scoreless the rest of the way. The home run was his league-high 13th allowed this season. It also stretched his current streak to six straight games with at least one home run allowed.
Carolina scored first in Sunday’s loss after getting an unearned run across in the third on a sacrifice fly from Braxton Davidson. Curcio reached second with one out in the third on catcher’s interference and moved to third on a single from Jose Fernandez before scoring on Davidson’s fly out to left. Curcio was 1-for-2 with a run in the loss and Davidson was 1-for-2 with a RBI.
The loss dropped the Mudcats into a 2-2 series tie with the Pelicans. Their current road trip continues on Monday night in Frederick with game one of three against the Keys at Nymeo Field. Carolina League All-Star RHP Max Povse (5-4, 3.51) will start for the Mudcats against Frederick’s RHP Lucas Long (4-4, 4.30) in Monday’s series opener.
Sunday’s box score
Carolina Mudcats | ab | r | h | bi |
Curcio, CF | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Fernandez, 2B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Davidson, RF | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Giardina, C | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Edgerton, 3B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Murphy, DH | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Harper, SS | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Tejada, 1B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Mendez, LF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Totals | 30 | 1 | 6 | 1 |
Myrtle Beach Pelicans | ab | r | h | bi |
Burks, LF | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Crawford, CF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Torres, DH | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Rice, C | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
Vosler, 3B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Balaguert, 1B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Spingola, RF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Bote, 2B | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Ely, SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Totals | 31 | 2 | 6 | 2 |
Carolina | 001 | 000 | 000 | — | 1 | 6 | 2 |
Myrtle Beach | 001 | 000 | 01X | — | 2 | 6 | 1 |
E — Fernandez 2, Rice. DP–Carolina 0, Myrtle Beach 1. LOB–Carolina 6, Myrtle Beach 7. 2B–Bote. HR—Burks (6), Rice (1). SF–Davidson. CS—Davidson, Torres.
Carolina Mudcats IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | |
Clark | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
McLaughlin (L, 3-3) | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Myrtle Beach Pelicans IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | |
Stinnett (W, 6-3) | 8 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
McNeil (S, 8) | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
This story was originally published June 26, 2016 at 11:30 PM with the headline "Pelicans edge Mudcats 2-1."