'Dads "Walk" Away with Pitchers' Duel
Published on July 18, 2015 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Hickory Crawdads News Release
Hickory, NC - 7 ½ innings of shutout baseball came to sudden end Saturday night courtesy of a walk, as the Hickory Crawdads broke up 0-0 tie with a bases loaded, RBI free pass from Luke Tendler to propel the 'Dads to a 3-0 win over the visiting Augusta GreenJackets at L.P. Frans Stadium.
Both teams rode great performances by their respective starting pitchers throughout the first seven innings, with Collin Wiles striking out five, walking one, and allowing just two hits over 7 shutout frames for Hickory while D.J. Snelten fanned 7 with two walks, and 3 hits over his 7 scoreless innings. The Crawdads bats were finally able to break up the goose egg game in the bottom of the 8th, when Jose Cardona lined a one out double to right before back-to-back, 2-out walks to Josh Morgan and Jose Trevino loaded the bases for Tendler. The All-Star outfielder then drew a walk of his own to bring home Cardona and give the 'Dads a 1-0 lead.
Jairo Beras followed with a 2-RBI single through the right side of the infield that plated Morgan and Trevino and gave Hickory the 3-0 score they would win by.
Neither offense mustered much resistance throughout the first two-thirds of the contest. Hickory threatened early only to leave five runners on base during the first three innings, while Augusta managed just three base runners through seven frames and didn't get a man into scoring position until Wiles' departure. The bullpens took over in the 8th, with Ricardo Rodriguez working around a 2-out double by 'Jackets right fielder Chuckie Jones to put up a scoreless frame and keep the shutout intact. The GreenJackets turned to reliever Reyes Moronta, who began the 8th with a 3-pitch strikeout of Juremi Profar before Cardona's double began the contest's decisive rally.
Rodriguez (1-0) earned the win with two scoreless innings of relief, while Moronta (1-7) took the loss after giving up three runs on three walks and two hits.
Beras ended the night as the only 'Dad with a multi-hit game going 2-4 with 2 RBI, wile Tendler finished 0-3 with a walk and a run scored. Cardona stretched his team-best hit streak to 9 games with a 1-4 night including a double and a run, while Morgan went 1-3 with a walk and a run.
The Crawdads (56-35/12-11) are now a perfect 6-0 against the GreenJackets (44-48/11-12) in 2015. The 'Dads will try to keep the spotless record going in game three of the four-game series Sunday night at 5:00 pm.
South Atlantic League Stories from July 18, 2015
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