SAL1 Hickory Crawdads

9th Inn. Passed Ball Gives 'Dads 5-4 Win

Published on June 28, 2014 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Hickory Crawdads News Release


Hickory, NC - The Hickory Crawdads found yet another wild way to add to their streak of wins Saturday night, as the 'Dads utilized a 2-out, 2-strike passed ball to score Jairo Beras from third and give the team a 5-4, walk-off win over the Greenville Drive at L.P. Frans Stadium.

All five of the Crawdads runs in the win were unearned, with the team plating three error assisted tallies in the 5th, tying the game with the help of an error fueled run in the 8th, and ultimately winning the contest on the timely passed ball in the 9th. Beras led the Hickory offense all evening going 2-2 with a double, two walks and two runs scored. The 'Dads have now won 23 of their last 26 ballgames, and remain in first place in the Northern Division with an 8-2 second half record.

For the second straight night it was the Drive who jumped out to the initial advantage, as Greenville right fielder Kendrick Perkins lined an opposite field, solo home run to left for a 1-0 score. That would be one of the only blemishes on the night for Crawdads starting pitcher Akeem Bostick, who allowed only two runs on four hits, one walk, and three strikeouts over 5.1 IP.

With Bostick holding the potent Greenville offense at bay, Hickory rallied for three runs in the bottom of the 5th to take their first lead of the game at 3-1. Shortstop Michael De Leon brought home the first tally with a 2-out, RBI triple to left-center, followed immediately after by a 2-run homer to left-center by Lewis Brinson.

The Drive quickly responded themselves, plating a run in the 6th to narrow the score to 3-2 before coming away with two runs in the 7th to re-take the lead at 4-3. Both Greenville rallies were driven by walks, as the Drive drew six free passes over the two inning stretch.

The 'Dads proved resilient however as the club rallied for the game-tying run in the 8th, with Nomar Mazara and Ryan Cordell both singling before Mazara took third on an error and eventually came home on a double play ground out by Kellin Deglan for a 4-4 tie.

The decisive 9th inning began with an infield single by Beras, who beat out a throw to first to put the winning run on base with no outs. After being sacrificed to second on a bunt from Luis Marte and taking third on a ground out by Evan Van Hoosier, Beras looked like he would be stranded 90 feet from home when Michael De Leon fell behind against Greenville reliever Jacob Dahlstrand. Dahlstrand's 0-2 pitched missed outside however and got by the glove of All-Star catcher Jake Romanski for a passed ball, allowing Beras to dash home from third for the game-winning run.

The wild finish made a winner out of Hickory reliever Jose Valdespina (2-0), who threw two scoreless innings out of the bullpen on two hits and two strikeouts. Dahlstrand (4-4) took the loss after giving up two unearned runs over 3.2 frames on the mound.

De Leon joined Beras in having a good night at the plate finishing 2-3 with a triple, walk, RBI and run scored, while Brinson ended the game 1-3 with his fifth long ball of the season, two RBIs and a walk.

The Crawdads (8-2) and Drive (3-7) will play again Sunday evening at 5:00 pm in game three of their four-game series.

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South Atlantic League Stories from June 28, 2014


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