Crawdads Weekly - 'Dads Look to Wrap up Series Win in Greensboro
Published on August 10, 2010 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Hickory Crawdads News Release
HICKORY, NC - With a 5-3 win Monday night, the Crawdads pulled even in their current series against the Greensboro Grasshoppers, 2-games-to-2. The 'Dads look to take the final game of the series on Tuesday in Greensboro to win the set and further increase their lead over the Grasshoppers in the playoff race.
The Crawdads are currently 24-18 in the second half of the 2010 season, putting them in second place in the Northern Division, 1.5 games behind the Lakewood BlueClaws. Hickory remains second in the overall standings as well at 64-48, 3.5 games behind the Lakewood BlueClaws and 10.5 games ahead of the third-place Greensboro Grasshoppers for the wild card spot, if necessary.
THIS WEEK:
Tuesday, Aug. 10 @ Greensboro (7 p.m)
Thursday, Aug. 12 vs. Charleston (7 p.m.)
Friday, Aug. 13 vs. Charleston (7 p.m.)
Saturday, Aug. 14 vs. Charleston (6 p.m.)
Sunday, Aug. 15 vs. Charleston (5 p.m.)
Monday, Aug. 16 vs. Charleston (7 p.m.)
Tuesday, Aug. 17 @ Kannapolis (7:05 p.m.)
WEEK IN REVIEW (Home team in CAPS):
Tuesday, Aug. 3
HICKORY 5 vs. Asheville 3
1B Jared Bolden led the way, going 3-for-4 with a triple, two RBIs, and two runs. LHP Robbie Erlin went six innings to get the win, before giving way to LHP Chad Bell (2.2 innings) and RHP Ovispo De Los Santos, who retired the final out for the save.
Wednesday, Aug. 4
Asheville 3 vs. HICKORY 2
In seven innings of work, RHP Jake Brigham struck out 10 batters, tying a single-game high for Crawdads pitchers this season, but was tagged with the loss. C Zach Zaneski homered in the bottom of the ninth inning to pull Hickory to within a run, before Asheville closer RHP Sheng-An Kuo recorded the final three outs. RHP Johan Yan followed Brigham with two scoreless innings of relief.
Thursday, Aug. 5
HICKORY vs. Asheville - Postponed
Game postponed due to inclement weather, will be made up as part of a doubleheader during the series in Asheville later in August.
Friday, Aug. 6
Hickory 3 vs. GREENSBORO 2
With one on and two down in the ninth inning, RHP Ovispo De Los Santos got LF Justin Bass to sky a fly ball out to CF Jared Bolden to end the ballgame for a 3-2 Crawdads win. RHP Braden Tullis earned the win for Hickory, allowing one run on three hits and two walks while striking out three in 5.1 innings.
Saturday, Aug. 7
GREENSBORO 4 vs. Hickory 2
LHP Miguel De Los Santos struck out 10 batters through five innings in his first start as a Crawdad. Down, 2-1, in the fifth, C Leonel De Los Santos tied it with a solo homer. Greensboro retook the lead with a solo shot by DH Kyle Jensen in the sixth and added another in the eighth for the win.
Sunday, Aug. 8
GREEENSBORO 5 vs. Hickory 3
3B Joe Bonadonna belted a two-run bomb in the fifth, but Greensboro 1B Chad Cregar hit a three-run shot in the eighth to lift Greensboro to the 5-3 comeback win. RHP Neil Ramirez struck out 10 in six frames for the no-decision.
Monday, Aug. 9
Hickory 5 vs. GREENSBORO 3
LHP Chad Bell debuted as a starter and surrendered only one run in six innings, leaving the 'Dads in a 5-1 lead. LHP Robbie Erlin gave up two, but held on for the three-inning save. DH Zach Zaneski doubled and scored twice, and added an RBI.
PRINCE HITTING STREAK ENDS AT 21 GAMES
RF Jared Prince's 21-game hitting streak, that ran from July 10 to August 3, tied Bobby Spain (2008) for the second-longest hitting streak in Crawdads history. The 21-game streak by Prince fell just three games short of the Crawdads record of 24 games set by Jeff Inglin in 1997. Over the 21-game span, Prince batted .383 (31-for-81) with two home runs and 16 RBIs.
WIELAND NAMED CALIFORNIA LEAGUE PITCHER OF THE WEEK
RHP Joe Wieland, who spent the 2009 season and half of the 2010 campaign with Hickory, was named the California League (High-A) Pitcher of the Week August 2-9. Over that stretch, Wieland was 1-0 with a 0.90 ERA and 20 strikeouts for the Bakersfield Blaze. The Reno, Nevada native struck out 14 last Monday against the Visalia Rawhide through seven innings of work.
Wieland went 7-4 with a 3.34 ERA in 15 starts and 17 appearances with the Crawdads this season, including a complete game shutout on June 25 in Hagerstown.
PLAYER AND TEAM NOTES:
~OF/INF Joe Bonadonna and LHP Joseph Ortiz were promoted by the Texas Rangers from Hickory to the Bakersfield Blaze (High-A) on Tuesday.
~SS Leury Garcia (DL) and RHP Kyle Ocampo (AZL Rangers) return to Hickory to fill the roster spots.
~LHP Miguel De Los Santos became the third different Crawdads pitcher to record 10 strikeouts in a game on Saturday, joining RHP Neil Ramirez (twice) and RHP Jake Brigham.
~C Zach Zaneski is currently riding an eight game hitting streak.
~ The Crawdads won five consecutive series, beginning July 8-12 against the Greensboro Grasshoppers and ending July 29 - August 1 with the Kannapolis Intimidators. Along the way, the 'Dads also took series victories from the Lexington Legends (July 14-18), Delmarva Shorebirds (July 20-23), and the Augusta GreenJackets (July 24-27).
~The Crawdads pitching staff is tied for the second-lowest WHIP (1.22), own the third-lowest ERA (3.34) and have allowed the fewest walks (255) in the league.
~The Crawdads 13 shutout wins this season are the most in the South Atlantic League and tie a team record originally set in 2003.
~The Crawdads have the highest On-Base-Plus-Slugging Percentage (.729) and second-highest On-Base Percentage (.335) and Slugging Percentage (.394) in the SAL.
THIRSTY THURSDAY, FRIDAY NIGHT FIREWORKS, AND TENTH AVENUE NORTH CHRISTIAN CONCERT THIS WEEK!:
Thursday, Aug. 12 vs. Charleston - 6 p.m. gates open, 7 p.m. first pitch
-Thirsty Thursday - $1 beers and Pepsis
-Haynesworth Conditioning Challenge - 2 FREE 2010 season tickets to those that pass
-Salute to Chuck Norris - FREE ticket to any fan named 'Chuck,' 'Norris,' or 'Walker!'
-Banned on Wednesday post-game concert
-Presented by Buffalo Wild Wings and KICKS 103.3FM
Friday, Aug. 13 vs. Charleston - 6 p.m. gates open, 7 p.m. first pitch
-Friday Night Fireworks
-Silly Bandz Giveaway - first 1,000 kids
-Halloween Night - wear a costume, get a FREE ticket
-Presented by 1290 WHKY
Saturday, Aug. 14 vs. Charleston - 5 p.m. gates open, 6 p.m. first pitch
-Tenth Avenue North Christian Concert
-All tickets just $12!
-Presented by Chick-fil-A, Charter Media, and 106.9 The Light
Sunday, Aug. 15 vs. Asheville - 3:30 p.m. gates open, 5 p.m. first pitch
-Kids Run the Show
-Mark Seaman Guarantee Game - if the guarantee doesn't happen, everyone in attendance gets a FREE ticket!
Monday, Aug. 16 vs. Asheville - 6 p.m. gates open, 7 p.m. first pitch
-Senior 2-for-1 tickets
-Kids Eat FREE with ticket purchase
-Presented by ResCare and 63 Big Ways 630AM
GET TICKETS:
Single game tickets for all Crawdads games are on sale at the Crawdads Ticket Office and online at www.hickorycrawdads.com and start at just $6! Season tickets, mini-plans and group outings are available at the Crawdads Front Office, located at 2500 Clement Blvd. NW or by calling (828) 322-3000.
LEAGUE LEADERS:
LHP Robbie Erlin - 0.90 WHIP (1st)
LHP Robbie Erlin - .204 battting average against (2nd)
LHP Robbie Erlin - 2.06 ERA (2nd)
RHP Neil Ramirez - 119 strikeouts (1st)
RHP Neil Ramirez - 8 wins (T-2nd)
RHP Neil Ramirez - 9.37 strikeouts per 9 innings (3rd among starters)
RHP Matt Thompson - 116 strikeouts (2nd)
RHP Matt Thompson - 8 wins (T-2nd)
RHP Matt Thompson - 1.61 walks allowed per 9 innings (T-3rd among starters)
RHP Matt Thompson - 9.00 strikeouts per 9 innings (4th among starters)
SS Leury Garcia - 38 stolen bases (T-6th)
3B Matt West - 24 hit by pitches (1st)
CRAWDADS LEADERS:
Batting Average- 2B Travis Adair (.328)
Home Runs- RF Jared Prince, INF/OF Ed Koncel, 3B Matt West (8)
RBI- RF Jared Prince (66)
Stolen Bases - SS Leury Garcia (38)
Walks - RF Jared Prince (40)
Wins - RHP Matt Thompson, RHP Neil Ramirez (8)
ERA - LHP Robbie Erlin (2.06)
Strikeouts - RHP Neil Ramirez (119)
Saves - RHP Braden Tullis (3)
Innings Pitched - RHP Neil Ramirez (114.1)
South Atlantic League Stories from August 10, 2010
- Jackets Fall 2-1 in 14 to Tourists - Augusta GreenJackets
- Brigham and 'Dads Blank Grasshoppers, 2-0 - Hickory Crawdads
- Legends Drop Shorebirds 10-3 in Series Finale - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Power Whipped in Series Finale - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Early Runs Aid Kannapolis Series Win, 8-2 - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Legends Take Series Finale from Delmarva 10-3 - Lexington Legends
- Suns Hopes Spoiled in Road Series Finale - Hagerstown Suns
- Pesky Sand Gnats Smother Dogs in 4-2 Comeback Win - Charleston RiverDogs
- Claws Crush Power in Historic 17-3 Beat Down - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Drive Defeat Rome Again, 4-1 - Greenville Drive
- Gnats Halloween in August This Friday - Savannah Sand Gnats
- Gnats Game Notes: Tuesday, August 10 at Charleston - Savannah Sand Gnats
- Higashioka Activated off DL - Charleston RiverDogs
- Crawdads Weekly - 'Dads Look to Wrap up Series Win in Greensboro - Hickory Crawdads
- Power Game Notes - Charleston Dirty Birds
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
