LYNCHBURG, Va. (July 4, 2019)- Behind seven, lights out innings from starter Erick Leal , the Myrtle Beach Pelicans shutout the Lynchburg Hillcats 6-0 on July 4th from City Stadium.
After a 38-minute rain delay to start the ballgame, the Pelicans (9-6, 30-52) put their first run on the board in the third inning when Jimmy Herron , who set a career-high with four hits on the night, doubled and scored on an RBI single from Miguel Amaya that made it 1-0 Pelicans.
In the fifth, the Pelicans broke the game wide open against Hillcats (9-6, 41-41) starter Juan Hillman (L, 3-8). Herron opened the inning up with a triple and scored on an RBI single by Delvin Zinn that made it a 2-0 lead for the Birds.
After Carlos Sepulveda was hit by a pitch, Amaya drove in Zinn on a single back up the middle that extended the lead to 3-0. The next batter, Cam Balego grounded a shot to third, Nolan Jones fielded it but threw it away which allowed Sepulveda to score all the way from second and gave the Birds a 4-0 lead.
The Pelicans added on their fifth run later in the inning when Wladimir Galindo laced a single through the left side of the infield to push the lead to 5-0.
Amaya, who went 4-for-5, tacked on another run for the Pelicans in the seventh inning when he launched his seventh homer of the year to edge the lead to 6-0.
Erick Leal (W, 1-1) dominated on the mound for the Pelicans as he produced his longest start since May 25, 2016. The righty tossed seven, shutout innings and allowed just three hits and walked a pair while striking out a season-best eight batters to earn his first win of the year.
The Pelicans will look to win their fifth in a row on Friday night against the Hillcats (9-6, 41-41) at 6:30 p.m. LHP Jack Patterson (0-0, 0.00) will make his Pelicans debut against RHP Cody Morris(1-0, 4.35) for the Hillcats.
Courtesy: Myrtle Beach Pelicans
