Monday night it was Lynchburg Hillcat starter Chih-Hung Cheng who stifled the Pelicans bats as Myrtle Beach got blanked for the second straight night.
The Hillcats got on the board against Pelican starter Richard Sullivan in the second when Miles Durham doubled to open the inning and scored on a two-out double by Kent Sakamoto. Lynchburg tacked on another run in the third after a one-out walk to Jose De Los Santos who stole second, then third and scored when the throw to Pelican third baseman Donell Linares went into left field allowing De Los Santos to score.
The Pelicans only threat came in the top of the fourth when Jason Heyward doubled with a man out and then stole third but was left stranded there.
With a man on in the fourth Sakamoto struck again. He hit a one-out two-run homer to put the Hillcats up 4-0 which is how it stayed. Sullivan (0-1) settled down for Myrtle Beach and ended up retiring 14 out of the final 15 batters he faced. He ended up going seven innings allowing four runs on five hits while striking out four without walking a batter while taking the loss in his Pelicans debut.
Sullivan’s counterpart, Cheng (3-0), picked up the win pitching five shutout innings while allowing just one walk and four hits while striking out three.
The series continues Tuesday when the Pelicans send lefty Edgar Osuna to the mound against fellow left hander Paul Mildren. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 at City Stadium in Lynchburg.
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