MYRTLE BEACH, SC - The Myrtle Beach Pelicans, A-Advanced affiliate of the Texas Rangers, completed a six game homestand the same way they started it, with a standing room only capacity crowd of 6,599 and a win at TicketReturn.com Field at Pelicans Ballpark. Myrtle Beach took down Salem 10-3, finishing off a sweep of the Salem Red Sox.
The sweep for the Pelicans marks the first sweep since this time last season, when the Birds took four from Salem July 13-16. The current four straight wins for Myrtle Beach also mark the team's longest winning streak this season.
It took the Pelicans a bit of time to settle in against Salem starter Matt Barnes, a Futures Game selection. The Red Sox righty retired the first seven batters he faced, but faltered in the third and fourth. Down 1-0 in the bottom of the third, the Pelicans used a single from Santiago Chirino and a triple from Josh Richmond to tie the game. A sac fly off the bat of Odubel Herrera put the Birds up 2-1.
Sale quickly responded, scoring in the fourth to even the score, but that tie was short lived. The Pelicans sent nine batters to the plate in the bottom of the fourth, scoring four runs and chasing Barnes early. With one out the Birds had the bases loaded with Chirino and Richmond coming through again, this time with each executing a two-run single. It was 6-2.
Reliever Tyler Lockwood replaced Barnes and finished the fourth, but ran into his own trouble in the sixth. The Pelicans hung a three-spot on Lockwood, loading the bases and scoring their first run with four straight singles to begin the frame. Hanser Alberto blasted his first homer as a Pelican in the eighth to make it an even 10-3.
Richmond and Chirino each finished the game with three hits. It was Chirino's second three-hit performance this season and Richmond's first.
Randy Henry earned the win in his second consecutive quality start. Henry went six innings, allowing three runs on only four hits.
Myrtle Beach next heads on the road, taking on the Winston-Salem Dash at 7:00 at BB&T Ballpark. Randol Rojas pitches for the Pelicans. For more information, head online at MyrtleBeachPelicans.com.
