SAL1 Hickory Crawdads

'Dads Outgunned in 9-8 Shootout Loss

Published on June 15, 2016 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Hickory Crawdads News Release


Hickory Crawdads Shortstop Dylan Moore
Hickory Crawdads Shortstop Dylan Moore
(Hickory Crawdads)

Greenville, SC - The Hickory Crawdads locked up with the Greenville Drive in a long shootout Tuesday night that was made even longer by a rain delay of more than an hour in the 1st inning. The 'Dads bats did their best to slug the team to victory with 8 runs on 15 hits including 2 home runs, but it wasn't enough as Hickory fell to the Drive in a 9-8 loss at Fluor Field.

The Crawdads burst out of the gates with 5 runs on 6 hits in the 1st inning, tying the club's biggest opening frame of the year. The Drive responded with 2 quick runs in the bottom of the first before a lightning storm delayed the contest by an hour and 5 minutes. When play resumed, Greenville picked up where they left off with 2 more tallies to make the score 5-4 and set the tone for the rest of the night.

The 'Dads kept the offense churning with single runs in the 2nd, 3rd, and 5th innings but each time the team scored the Drive answered back, with the home team plating 2 runs in the 3rd, 1 in the 5th, and 2 more in the 7th to take their first lead of the game at 9-8. Hickory significantly out-hit their southern opponent 15-9, but the Crawdads also issued a season-worst 12 walks resulting in just the third loss this year where the 'Dads finished with more hits than their opponent.

The opening frame could not have started much better for the Crawdads, as the road team sent all 9 batters to the plate and jumped out to a 5-0 lead. Eric Jenkins, Dylan Moore, Josh Altmann and Tyler Sanchez all laced singles to start the inning and put up a pair of quick tallies. They were followed by a one-out, RBI double from Ricky Valencia and a 2-out, RBI double by Jose Almonte to put the 'Dads up by 5.

Greenville wasted no time in answering the offensive challenge in the bottom of the 1st, with a leadoff single from Luis Alejandro Basabe and a 2-run home run to right by Mitchell Gunsolus to cut the score to 5-2. Hickory All-Star pitcher Erik Swanson then issued consecutive walks to Josh Ockimey and Kyri Washington before recording his first out of the game on a fly out to right by Tyler Spoon. Unfortunately Swanson wouldn't be given a chance to build off of that out, as a lightning storm forced the game to be postponed for more than an hour. When play resumed Swanson was lifted for reliever Matt Ball, who allowed 2 inherited runners to score on a walk, a sacrifice fly, and a throwing error by Valencia behind the plate that whittled the Hickory lead to 5-4.

The 'Dads bats came right back with a run in the 2nd when Jenkins singled to right, moved to second on a walk by Moore, and eventually scored on a throwing error by Basabe at second base for a 6-4 score. Hickory pushed the advantage to 7-4 in the 3rd when Almonte launched a solo home run over the 40-foot green monster in left field for his team-leading 7th long ball of the year.

Once again the Drive answered the bell however, this time with a 2-RBI double by Trenton Kemp in the bottom of the 3rd for a 7-6 score. The Crawdads picked up one last tally in the top of the 5th when Moore crushed a solo homer to left-center field for his second homer of the road trip and an 8-6 'Dads lead. Greenville had another quick response in the home half though, with a 2-out, RBI single to left by Basabe off of Hickory reliever Adam Choplick to cut the lead to 8-7.

Hickory held that lead until the 7th, when the Drive used 4 walks and an infield, RBI single off of Crawdads reliever Joe Palumbo to force their first tie and ultimately lead of the night at 9-8. The 'Dads bats picked up three more hits over the final two innings in an attempt to rally, but couldn't bring in another run resulting in the loss.

Six Crawdads hitters finished with a multi-hit game as the team tied their season-high with 15 hits. Moore led the charge going 2-3 with a home run, 2 walks, and 2 runs scored, while Almonte finished 2-5 with a homer, a double, and 2 RBI. Jenkins (2-5, BB, 2 R), Altmann (2-4, RBI, R, HBP), Sanchez (2-5, RBI, R, SB), and Valencia (2-4, 2B, RBI, R, BB) all posted multi-hit nights as well.

Palumbo (4-3) took the loss for Hickory after walking a season-high 5 batters and allowing 2 runs on 1 hit and 3 strikeouts over 1.1 innings pitched. Greenville reliever Jeffry Fernandez (2-2) earned the win with 1 run given up on 3 hits, 2 walks, and 3 Ks over 4 IP, while teammate Victor Diaz (2) recorded the save with 2 scoreless innings to end the game.

The Crawdads (37-27) will try to salvage the final game against the Drive (34-30) Wednesday night, with first pitched scheduled for 7:05 pm.

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Hickory Crawdads Shortstop Dylan Moore
Hickory Crawdads Shortstop Dylan Moore
   



South Atlantic League Stories from June 15, 2016


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