The Myrtle Beach Pelicans shut out the Salem Red Sox in the deciding game of the Southern Division championship series 5-0, to advance to the Mills Cup Championship against Potomac. The Pelicans jumped out to an early second inning lead and never looked back.
Chad James picked up the win for the Pelicans, throwing five and two thirds outstanding innings. James allowed just four hits, walked just one, and struck out seven Red Sox. Cody Kukuk was saddled with the loss, surrendering two hits and three runs in two plus innings. Cody walked four and struck out three.
The Pelicans jumped out to a 2-0 edge in the second. Lewis Brinson doubled with one out off Kukuk and stole third. After Luis Mendez walked and stole second, Michael De Leon singled back up the middle, scoring both runs to give the Pelicans the early edge.
An inning later, Kukuk walked Preston Beck to start the frame. William Cuevas then came out of the Red Sox pen, and waked Ryan Cordell. A batter later, Royce Bolinger doubled in both runs to push the Pelicans lead to 4-0.
Myrtle added an insurance run int he sixth. After a walk to David Lyon and pop out, Cuevas was relieved by Nate Reed. The first batter he faced, Mendez, launched an RBI triple to pick up the Pelicans 5th run.
Salem’s best chance to get on the board came in the sixth. The Sox got the first two men on base after a Matty Johnson single and Carlos Asuaje hit by pitch. With runners on first and second, Jantzen Witte hit a sinking liner to left field. Cordell made a diving catch to prevent extra bases, and kill any chance at a rally. Salem finished the series 1-26 with runners in scoring position.
Cody Kendell and Ryan Bores combined to toss three and a third scoreless innings to preserve the victory. The Salem Red Sox finish the year as defending champions with a 69-70 record.
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Chris Graham
