Crawdads Drop Two vs. Suns
Published on May 8, 2014 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Hickory Crawdads News Release
Hickory, NC - The Hickory Crawdads had an opportunity to make up some much needed ground in the South Atlantic League Northern Division race with a doubleheader against the first place Hagerstown Suns on Thursday night, but opportunity turned to disappointment for Hickory as the 'Dads dropped both games of the twin bill 6-2 and 6-4 in front of 2,623 fans at L.P. Frans Stadium.
Game one saw the recent offensive struggles continue for the Crawdads, with the Hickory hitters held to two runs on six hits by Hagerstown pitchers Jake Johansen and Robert Orlan. The nightcap turned into a back-and-forth affair with the 'Dads leading late, but the Suns rallied for an unearned run in the sixth before scoring three times in the 8th. The Crawdads made one last push in the bottom of the 8th, but Nomar Mazara was tagged out at home trying to score on a wild pitch to end the game.
Johansen was dominant in the early going against the 'Dads in game one, with the Washington Nationals number 8 prospect not allowing a hit until the 5th inning. Johansen (3-1) eventually earned the win for the Suns, allowing just an unearned run on three hits over 5.2 innings pitched. Hickory starter David Ledbetter (1-3) absorbed the loss after giving up four runs on nine hits over 3.1 IP.
The nightcap proved to be a much more hotly contested affair, with four total lead changes and three separate ties leading to an extra inning showdown. Following a Hagerstown run in the top of the 3rd to jump to a 1-0 lead, the Crawdads answered in the bottom of the inning when Isiah Kiner-Falefa singled to center and eventually scored on an error to tie the game at 1-1.
The 'Dads took their first lead the next inning, when Nomar Mazara lined an opposite field solo homer to left for a 2-1 Hickory lead. The Suns quickly responded with a homer of their own in the top of the 5th, as John Wooten laced a solo shot to left to re-tie the game at 2-2.
Keeping the seesaw contest alive, the Crawdads came back with a run in the bottom of the 5th to take the lead again at 3-2. This time it was an RBI single by Evan Van Hoosier that plated Eduard Pinto that gave the 'Dads their second lead of the night.
The advantage wouldn't hold up however, as the Suns scored an unearned run in the bottom of the sixth on a two-out throwing error by Hickory first baseman Ronald Guzman to once again deadlock the score at 3-3.
The 7-inning scheduled game would eventually go to extras, where Hagerstown got to Hickory reliever Felix Carvallo for three runs on four hits in the top of the 8th to go ahead 6-3. The Crawdads tried one last rally of their own with Nick Vickerson launching a solo homer to left before Mazara and Guzman both singled and eventually moved into scoring position with two outs. The comeback would die at home though, as Mazara was tagged out trying to score on a wild pitch to end the game at 6-4.
Suns reliever Andrew Cooper (3-0) earned the win after allowing one run on three hits over the final three innings of the game. Carvallo (0-2) took the loss for the Crawdads.
Vickerson led the Hickory bats over the doubleheader, ending the night going a combined 4-7 with a home run, two RBIs and two runs scored. Van Hoosier finished 3-7 with an RBI over the two -game spread, while Mazara went 3-4 with a home run in the nightcap after going 0-3 in game one.
The pair of defeats pushes the Crawdads (14-18) losing streak to a season-long five games, while the Suns (25-7) have now won five straight.
The 'Dads will look to jump back in the win column against the Suns Friday night, with the final game of the 4-game series scheduled for 7:00 pm.
South Atlantic League Stories from May 8, 2014
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