SAL1 Hickory Crawdads

7-Run 6th Inning Propels 'Dads to 10-2 Win

Published on April 16, 2016 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Hickory Crawdads News Release


Hickory, NC - One night after being held to a season-low two runs the Hickory Crawdads offense bounced back with a season-high 10 tallies Saturday night, as the 'Dads used a 7-run 6th inning to propel them to a 10-2 win over the Kannapolis Intimidators in front of 2,525 fans at L.P. Frans Stadium.

The Hickory hitters needed only 9 hits to produce their double digit run total thanks to a lot of help from the Intimidators, as the road team handed out 5 walks to go along with three errors and a hit batter. All three errors and two of the five free passes came in the big 6th frame, resulting in five of the seven runs being unearned.

The Crawdads initially fell behind in the game, as Kannapolis got on the board with a bases loaded wild pitch by Jonathan Hernandez in the 1st before scoring another run on a solo home run from Corey Zangari in the 3rd for a 2-0 Intimidators lead. The 'Dads responded with a 2-out rally in the 4th, that saw both Dylan Moore and Tyler Sanchez draw walks before Frandy De La Rosa crushed the first pitch he saw over the left field wall for a 3-run homer and a 3-2 Hickory lead.

The score remained the same until the 6th, when the Crawdads sent 12 men to the plate and scored 7 runs, two earned, on five hits, three errors, and two walks to push their advantage to 10-2. Yeyson Yrizarri started the frame with an infield single followed by a walk to Moore and a throwing error from Intimidators third baseman Cody Daily that allowed Sanchez to reach and Yrizarri to come home for the first tally of the frame. Following a strikeout by De La Rosa, Eduard Pinto delivered an RBI base knock to right to bring in the second run and Jose Almonte reached on a catcher's interference call to load the bases. Ninth place hitter Darius Day then drew an RBI walk to force home another run before Eric Jenkins picked up an RBI on a fielder's choice.

Andy Ibanez was next up and delivered the biggest hit of the big inning with a 2-RBI double to left-center field. That brought Yrizarri to the plate for his second appearance of the frame, and the 19-year-old came through again with an RBI single through the left side of the infield to plate the final run of the inning and put the 'Dads ahead by eight runs.

Hickory reliever Johan Juan finished it off from there with three scoreless innings out of the bullpen to complete the 10-2 Hickory victory.

Hernandez (1-1) earned the win for the Crawdads, as the right-hander settled down after a rocky first frame to throw 6 innings with two runs allowed on four hits, two walks, and three strikeouts. Kannapolis starter Johnathan Frebis (1-1) took the loss with five runs given up on five hits, four walks, and 2 Ks during his 5+ innings on the mound. Juan (1) earned the save for Hickory for closing out the game.

Eight of the nine starters for the 'Dads scored at least one run in the contest, led by Moore who went 2-2 with 2 walks, two runs scored, and his team-leading fifth stolen base of the year. Yrizarri also had a multi-hit game going 2-5 with an RBI, a run scored, and a stolen base, while Pinto finished 2-4 with an RBI and a run scored. De La Rosa went 1-4 with his second homer of the season and 3 RBI.

The Crawdads (8-2) will go for the series win over the Intimidators (4-6) in the finale Sunday afternoon, with first pitch scheduled for 3:00 pm.

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South Atlantic League Stories from April 16, 2016


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