Crawdads Weekly - CF Miguel Velazquez Second-Straight Crawdad Named SAL Player of the Week
Published on May 12, 2010 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Hickory Crawdads News Release
Hickory, N.C. - The first-place Hickory Crawdads became the first team in the South Atlantic League to reach 20 wins on the season with a 3-0 victory over the Greenville Drive on Monday afternoon. Hickory has now won 12 of its last 14 games and just completed a 6-2 homestand.
The South Atlantic League has named CF Miguel Velazquez the SAL Player of the Week for the week of May 3 - 9. Velazquez is the second consecutive Crawdad to win the weekly award, after 1B Mike Ortiz was named SAL Player of the Week last week. As of May 12, Hickory is currently perched atop the Northern Division with a record of 20-12. The 'Dads are three games ahead of the Lakewood BlueClaws.
THIS WEEK (ALL TIMES EASTERN):
Wednesday, May 12 @ Greensboro (7 p.m.)
Thursday, May 13 @ Greensboro (7 p.m.)
Friday, May 14 @ Greensboro (7 p.m.)
Saturday, May 15 @ Greensboro (7 p.m.)
Sunday, May 16 @ Kannapolis (5:05 p.m.)
Monday, May 17 @ Kannapolis (7:05 p.m.)
WEEK IN REVIEW (Home team in CAPS):
Tuesday, May 4
CRAWDADS 5 vs. Asheville 4
DH Cristian Santana hit a walk-off home run to end the game in the 13th inning. The 'Dads pitching tandem of starter RHP Joe Wieland, RHP Hector Nelo, RHP Braden Tullis, and RHP Josh Lueke set a Hickory record for combined strikeouts in a game with 20.
Wednesday, April 28 Crawdads 7 vs. CHARLESTON 5 The Crawdads score five runs in the top of the ninth to take a 7-5 lead. In five games played against the RiverDogs, it's the third late-game comeback win for Hickory. RHP Josh Lueke records his league-leading seventh save.
Wednesday, May 5
CRAWDADS 5 vs. Asheville 3
The Crawdads scored five runs in the third inning on a three-run homer from CF Miguel Velazquez and a two-run shot by LF Crisitian Santana to account for all of the team's runs. Starter LHP Robbie Ross surrendered just one unearned run in six plus innings of work for his third win.
Thursday, May 6
Asheville 6 vs. CRAWDADS 4
Asheville snapped the Crawdads winning streak at nine games. It was the second-longest winning streak in team history, trailing their 10 game streak from July 17-26, 2007, by just one game. RHP Trevor Hurley and LHP Robbie Erlin combined to pitch seven scoreless innings following starter RHP Wilmer Font.
Friday, May 7
CRAWDADS 10 vs. Greenville 6
RF Ed Koncel hit a grand slam in the bottom of the second and C Vinny DiFazio had four hits, four RBIs, and two runs scored. Starter RHP Matt Thompson struck out a season-high nine batters in 6.2 innings for the win.
Saturday, May 8
CRAWDADS vs. Greenville
The Crawdads rallied for two runs in the sixth and one in the eighth, but fell short against the Drive, 5-3. INF Taylor Vail made his Hickory debut as a pinch-hitter with two outs and the bases loaded in the eighth, but was robbed of a hit by Drive CF Reymond Fuentes to end the rally. RHP Josh Lueke allowed his first earned run of the season.
Sunday, May 9
CRAWDADS vs. Greenville
Starter RHP Joe Wieland pitched 7.2 innings, not allowing a hit until the fifth inning and picking up his first win of the season. The 'Dads offense was powered by home runs from SS Leury Garcia and LF Jared Prince for a 5-4 win.
Monday, May 10
CRAWDADS vs. Greenville
LHP Robbie Ross allowed just two hits in six innings to blank the Greenville Drive, 3-0, and pick up his team-leading fourth win. DH Vinny DiFazio and 3B Ed Koncel both homered in the third inning. With the victory, Hickory becomes the first team in the South Atlantic League to record 20 wins this season.
PLAYER AND TEAM NOTES
~The South Atlantic League has named CF Miguel Velazquez the SAL Player of the Week for the week of May 3 - 9. Velazquez is the second consecutive Crawdad to win the weekly award, after 1B Mike Ortiz was named SAL Player of the Week last week. ~LHP Robbie Ross and RHP Matt Thompson have both won their last three starts for Hickory. ~SS Leury Garcia stole a single-game-high three bases on Tuesday, May 4 vs. Asheville. He is now up to 17 on the season, tied with Charleston RiverDogs INF Jimmy Paredes for 1st in the South Atlantic League. ~RF Ed Koncel became the first Crawdad to hit a grandslam this season on Friday, May 7 vs. Greenville. ~RHP Joe Wieland, RHP Hector Nelo, RHP Braden Tullis, and RHP Josh Lueke set a Hickory record for combined strikeouts in a game with 20 in the 13-inning affair on Tuesday, May 4 vs. Asheville.
~CF Miguel Velazquez is among the top-10 players in the SAL in homers (7), RBIs (26), runs scored (22), batting average (.331), on-base percentage (.403), hits (39), slugging percentage (.593), total bases (70), and on-base plus slugging percentage (.996) and home runs per at-bat ratio (1/16.86).
~The Crawdads have an identical record of 10-6 at home and on the road.
THE 'DADS ARE BACK AT HOME FROM MAY 20 - 27 WITH FUN PROMOTIONS EVERY NIGHT!
The Crawdads hit the road beginning on Wednesday to start a four-game series with the Greensboro Grasshoppers. The team's eight-game road trip continues on to Kannapolis beginning on Sunday. While the 'Dads are away, you can catch all the action live on The Big Dawg 92.1 FM and Hickorycrawdads.com, and be sure to tune in 15 minutes early for Crawdads Countdown!
Thursday, May 20
-Thirsty Thursday: $1 beers and Pepsis sponsored by Buffalo Wild Wings and KICKS 103.3FM
-Tiger Woods Night: FREE tickets to anyone with the last name 'Woods.'
-Gates open at 6 p.m., first pitch is at 7 p.m.
Friday, May 21
-Friday Night Fireworks presented by 1290 WHKY
-FREE pack of 2010 Crawdads baseball cards courtesy of Disabled American Veterans
-Salute to Veterans Night: Veterans and their family get a FREE ticket compliments of Bradley Ingels and Armstrong Ford
-Gates open at 6 p.m., first pitch is at 7 p.m.
Saturday, May
-Bojangles' gift cards sponsored by Bojangles and The Big Dawg 92.1 FM
-Ladies Night
-Little League Night presented by Hickory Daily Record and Morganton News Herald
-American Red Cross blood drive: Donate blood to receive a FREE ticket to the game
-Gates open at 6 p.m., first pitch is at 7 p.m.
Sunday, May 23
-Faith and Family Day sponsored by WLON 1050 AM
-Wedding Vow Renewal
The homestand continues with four games against the Delmarva Shorebirds, from Monday, May 24 - Thursday, May 27.
South Atlantic League Stories from May 12, 2010
- Gnats Take Down Braves 3-2 in 10 Innings - Savannah Sand Gnats
- 1st-Place 'Dads Squash Grasshoppers, 11-3 - Hickory Crawdads
- Drive Hang On Versus BlueClaws, 8-7 - Greenville Drive
- BlueClaws Edged by Drive - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- RiverDogs Shred GreenJackets, 6-4 - Charleston RiverDogs
- Power Rallies Past Hagerstown, 13-9 - Hagerstown Suns
- GreenJackets Can't Escape Early Hole in 6-4 Loss - Augusta GreenJackets
- Legends Take Series Opener over Asheville, 6-2 - Lexington Legends
- Intimidators Above .500, Win 8-3 - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Intimidators Power past Shorebirds, 8-3 - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Gnats Game Notes - Savannah Sand Gnats
- Crawdads Weekly - CF Miguel Velazquez Second-Straight Crawdad Named SAL Player of the Week - Hickory Crawdads
- Tourists Receive Balcolm-Miller, Matthes from Extended Spring Training - Asheville Tourists
- Power Game Notes - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Shorebirds Game Notes - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Stoneburner Promoted to Tampa, Heredia Transferred to Charleston - Charleston RiverDogs
- Suns Nearly Sold Out For May 14th - Hagerstown Suns
- Challenger League Day at Appalachian Power Park - Charleston Dirty Birds
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