SAL1 Hickory Crawdads

Crawdads Cooked In Four Game Sweep

Published on May 6, 2008 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Hickory Crawdads News Release


Hickory faltered against Charleston for the fourth straight game, losing 7-4 to the RiverDogs on Sunday and completing only the second sweep suffered by the Crawdads this year. Despite out-hitting Charleston 9-6, Hickory found itself trailing nearly the entire game.

Charleston's Abraham Almonte hit a three-run home run in the third inning and Wady Rufino followed with a three-run blast of his own in the sixth.

The long balls would serve the RiverDogs' purpose, but the Crawdads fought back late in the game.

After a Silvio Pena RBI single and Miles Durham two-run single brought Hickory within three in the seventh inning, the Crawdads later found themselves trailing by four in the bottom of the eighth.

The turning point of the contest came when, with the bases loaded and two outs, Hickory's Keanon Simon hit a slicing line drive to left field.

Making a desperation leap, Charleston left fielder Taylor Holiday backhanded the liner to rob Simon of an extra-base hit that would have in all likelihood cleared the bases and tied the game.

Hickory (15-18) would have another opportunity to knot the game up when the tying runs came to the plate twice in the ninth inning, but closer Jonathan Ortiz struck out Ronald Pena and induced a pop up from Bobby Spain to win the game for Charleston (24-8).

Hickory had only been swept once before in 2008, dropping three games at Asheville April 20-21.

The Crawdads' five-game losing streak is its longest since a seven-game skid from April 20-26 of last season.

Chase Vacek earned the win in relief for Charleston, improving to 2-0. Hickory starter Zac Oliver allowed just the three-run homer in the third inning in terms of runs, but still took the loss across five innings pitched to drop to 0-1. Ortiz continued his perfect 2008 out of the bullpen, now 10-for-10 in save opportunities.

Notable performers for Hickory included Miles Durham -- who went 3-4 with two RBIs and extended his current hitting streak to 12 games -- and Silvio Pena, who went 3-4 with a run and an RBI in his first multi-hit game of the season.

Charleston's Almonte finished the series 9-18 with 1 HR, 1 3B, 2 2B, 5 RBIs and 5 runs. Rufino also haunted Hickory, going 5-12 with a double, home run and three RBIs.

The Crawdads return to action Wednesday night, welcoming the Savannah Sand Gnats to L.P. Frans Stadium for a four-game series.

The 'Dads and Gnats split a four-game set in Savannah last week and will rekindle the rivalry at 6:30.

Probable pitchers are RHP Emilis Guerrero (0-2, 6.27 ERA) for Hickory, taking on RHP Scott Moviel (2-4, 8.37) for Savannah.

Tickets are available by calling (828) 322-3000 or right here on www.hickorycrawdads.com.

GAME NOTES:Game time was 2:56. Attendance was 2,626, the second-largest home crowd for Hickory this season. ...Miles Durham is the only player in the SAL this season with two hitting streaks of 11 games or more. ...Charleston finished with 18 extra-base hits (9 2B, 8 HR, 1 3B) in the series. Hickory totaled eight (6 2B, 2 HR). ...Charleston rides on buses provided by Swept Away Coaches and Tours. The RiverDogs how now swept four opponents this season.

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South Atlantic League Stories from May 6, 2008


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