In Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Alex Lange struck out a career-high 10 batters, Kevonte Mitchell went 3 for 4 with a home run, and Myrtle Beach defeated Lynchburg 5-0 Wednesday night at TicketReturn.com Field.
Lange (2-2), the Chicago Cubs’ first-round selection from the 2017 draft, did not allow a run for the first time this season. The 6-foot-3 right-hander threw 54 of his 77 pitches for strikes, and he did not walk a batter in his six innings on the mound.
Mitchell led off the seventh inning with a solo home run, and Jhonny Pereda added a two-run single in the three-run frame.
The Pelicans (19-27) scored a run in the second on Connor Myers’ sacrifice fly, and then added another in the sixth on Tyler Alamo’s sacrifice fly.
The Hillcats (23-20) had six hits, one each from the first six hitters in the lineup, and recorded hits against Lange in the first, second, fourth and sixth innings.
The best scoring opportunity for the Hillcats came in the sixth inning. Luke Wakamatsu and Conner Capel recorded back-to-back singles, with the latter advancing Wakamatsu to third.
Lange then forced Gavin Collins to ground out to third to end the threat.
Hillcats starter Sam Hentges (3-3) allowed two runs on five hits in six innings. He struck out four and walked two in the loss.
Anderson Polanco allowed all three seventh-inning runs.