'Dads Can't Escape Early Hole in 8-6 Loss
Published on August 21, 2015 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Hickory Crawdads News Release
Greensboro, NC - The Hickory Crawdads did their best to overcome a large, early deficit against the Greensboro Grasshoppers Thursday night, but the 'Dads rally from a 6-run hole came up two tallies short as they fell to the 'Hoppers 8-6 at NewBridge Bank Park.
The Crawdads were their own worst enemy early on, with three Hickory errors leading to 4 unearned runs for the Grasshoppers over the first two innings. Greensboro stretched their advantage to 7-1 after the 4th before the 'Dads began chipping away with single runs in the 5th & 6th, two runs in the 7th, and one in the 8th to make the score 8-6. Hickory had one last chance to tie the game in the 9th when Jose Trevino stepped to the plate as a pinch hitter representing the tying run, but the All-Star grounded out to third to end the game with an 8-6 defeat.
The 'Dads jumped out to the initial advantage in the 1st, when Carlos Arroyo singled, Luke Tendler and Jairo Beras walked, and Eduard Pinto drew a bases-loaded, RBI walk off of 'Hoppers starting pitcher Gabriel Castellanos for a 1-0 lead. The Grasshoppers quickly responded in the bottom of the inning however, when a fielding error by Arroyo opened the door for KJ Woods to line a 2-RBI single to center to put Greensboro on top 2-1.
The 'Hoppers doubled their advantage in the 2nd, when Hickory third baseman Juremi Profar committed two errors to allow both John Norwood and Felix Castillo to come home for a 4-1 score. The Grasshoppers stretched the lead to it's largest with three more tallies in the 4th, as an RBI single by Brian Schales and a 2-RBI double from Arturo Rodriguez pushed the score to 7-1.
The Crawdads began their comeback in the 5th, when Michael De Leon walked, took 2nd base on a balk, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and finally came home on an RBI groundout by Jose Cardona for a 7-2 score. The 'Dads tacked on another run in the 6th when Cardona drew a bases-loaded, RBI walk to bring in Pinto and cut the deficit to 7-3, but Greensboro answered with a solo home run from Schales in the home half of the frame to make the score 8-3.
Tendler responded with a 2-run homer for Hickory in the 7th, while an RBI base knock by Arroyo in the 8th brought the Crawdads to within a pair of runs with an 8-6 score. The 'Dads gave themselves one last shot in the 9th when Pinto reached on a 2-out, single to center before Trevino grounded out to end the game.
Tendler finished the game 1-4 with his 12th home run of the season, two RBI, and a walk, while Arroyo went 2-4 with an RBI and a run and Pinto ended the night 2-4 with an RBI, a walk, and a run. De Leon reached base safely in all four of his plate appearances, going 1-1 with three walks and two runs scored.
Castellanos (1-0) earned the win for Greensboro with two runs allowed on two hits, five walks, and two strikeouts over five innings pitched. Hickory starting pitcher Austin Pettibone (3-5) took the loss with seven runs allowed, three earned, on 8 hits, one walk, and three strikeouts. 'Hoppers reliever Kyle Fischer (9) picked up the save with 1.1 scoreless innings to end the game.
The Crawdads (73-48/29-24) and Grasshoppers (45-77/16-37) will play again Friday night in game two of the four-game series, with first pitch scheduled for 7:00 pm.
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