"Mohawks for everyone!" Koby Clemens hollered as he came into the clubhouse Wednesday night. "Everyone's shaving their heads."

It probably won't happen. The Salem Avalanche was pretty happy with catcher Justin Tellam's game-winning two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth, giving them a 3-1 victory over the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, but an all-Mohawk tribute?

"I hope not," Tellam said. "I'd have to shave mine off.

"I've got to be different."

Tellam is certainly different. He has hit four home runs in his professional career and hadn't hit one since last July 11, but said plainly that he went to the plate trying for one.

And with his team down a run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth a day after playing 14 innings, hitting a home run was a very good idea. It would end the game at a reasonable hour, with a win for his team and spare both bullpens from any further stress.

So Tellam went up to the plate with a round trip on his mind, and yanked reliever Gonzalo Lopez's offering over the left field wall and into the fencing behind the stadium.

"I thought I hit it pretty good," Tellam said.

Tellam was also a big fan of starting pitcher Douglas Arguello's work. Crouching behind home plate, he had a great view.

"He had really good control of his curveball," Tellam said. "We've played seven games with these guys in the last eight days. When you see each other so much, you start to know each other. Doug was able to exploit that."

Arguello, a left-hander, didn't allow a run through eight innings. He walked four and allowed four hits, but all were singles. He picked off one batter and another was caught stealing. Only two runners reached second base safely against him; none made it to third.

"When he throws strikes, he's tough to hit and even when he doesn't he's not hit hard," Avalanche manager Jim Pankovits said. "When he throws strikes the ball moves a lot. Tonight he had an outstanding curve, real sharp, late breaking. Hitters seem to have trouble squaring up to it."

Arguello said the curve got him out of trouble on the occasions when he fell behind in counts.

Pelicans starter Chris Vines pitched seven scoreless innings, allowing three hits and a walk. He struck out nine.

"I was trying to keep the game close," Arguello said. "The other pitcher was pitching pretty great. I was thinking I'm not going to let this guy beat me. He was probably thinking the same thing."

Neither let up. No runs broke onto the scoreboard until the bullpens broke open.

The Pelicans struck first. Eric Campbell greeted Avalanche reliever Raymar Diaz with a solo homer to left-center.

Myrtle Beach sent Gonzalo Lopez out for the ninth and he walked Clemens. Travis Sweet came in to run for the designated hitter and immediately took second on a wild pitch.

Collin DeLome grounded out to first, moving Sweet along to third base, and after falling behind 0-2, Cesar Quintero choked up on his bat and lined a hit to shallow center to tie the score at 1.

Quintero moved up to second on a balk by Lopez and on to third on a groundout by Jhon Florentino.

Then it was time for Tellam's home run.

The timing was perfect.

How the runs scored

Myrtle Beach ninth: Campbell homered. Pelicans 1, Avalanche 0.

Salem ninth: Clemens walked. Sweet came in to pinch run for Clemens. Sweet went to second on a wild pitch by Lyman. DeLome grounded out, Sweet to third. Quintero singled, Sweet scored. Lopez balked, Quintero to second. Florentino grounded out, Quintero to third. Tellam homered, Quintero scored. Avalanche 3, Pelicans 1.

SALEM MYRTLE BEACH

ab r h bi ab r h bi

Parraz rf 4 0 0 0 Hernandez cf 4 0 1 0

Torres ss 2 0 1 0 Cabrera lf 4 0 0 0

Ori 1b 4 0 0 0 Campbell 3b 4 1 1 1

Clemens dh 3 0 0 0 Mejia 1b 4 0 0 0

Sweet pr 0 1 0 0 Hicks ss 3 0 1 0

DeLome lf 4 0 0 0 Flowers c 1 0 0 0

Quintero cf 4 1 2 1 Jones 2b 4 0 0 0

Florentino 3b 4 0 1 0 Rodriguez rf 3 0 1 0

Tellam c 4 1 1 2 Owings dh 2 0 1 0

Mena 2b 3 0 0 0

Totals 32 3 5 3 Totals 29 1 5 1

Myrtle Beach 000 000 001 -- 1

Salem 000 000 003 -- 3

Two outs when winning run scored.

E -- Mejia (10). DP -- Salem 1, MB 0. LOB -- Salem 6, MB 6. 2B -- Torres (21). HR -- Tellam (1), Campbell (4). SB -- Hicks 2 (11). CS -- Owings (2). PO -- Rodriguez.

IP H R ER BB SO

Myrtle Beach

Vines 7 3 0 0 1 9

Lyman 1 0 0 0 1 0

Lopez 2/3 2 3 3 1 0

Salem

Arguello 8 4 0 0 4 1

Diaz 1 1 1 1 1 2

WP-- Diaz (3-3). Balk-- Lopez.

Umpires-- HP: Saphire; Bases: Ashcraft.

Time -- 2:34. Att. -- 3,891.