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SAL1 Kannapolis Cannon Ballers

Dawkins' Three-Hit Day Not Enough in Friday Loss

July 27, 2019 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers News Release


Greensboro, N.C. - Although Ian Dawkins captured his 12th three-hit game of the season Friday night, Kannapolis dropped game one of the series against the Grasshoppers 7-3 at First National Bank Field.

The Grasshoppers set the precedent for their offense on the night in the first with an early run. Jonah Davis doubled to right field on the first pitch of his at-bat with Sam Long (L, 4-4), followed by a groundout and a lineout. With Davis still at second base, Fabricio Macias smacked a line drive to left field to help the 'Hoppers take the early lead.

One inning later, Corey Zangari homered (11) to left-center after an 11-pitch at-bat with Greensboro's Colin Selby (W, 4-3) to quickly tie the game, 1-1.

A half inning later, Luke Mangieri singled with two strikes, as Grant Koch and Zack Kone then walked to load the bases. After a mound visit, Long struck out Justin Harrer and got Davis to lineout to Amado Nunez at second base to hopefully squander the bases loaded opportunity for Greensboro. However, Jack Herman singled after an eight-pitch battle with Long to left field, scoring Koch and Mangieri to push the 'Hoppers lead to two runs, 3-1.

After clean innings from both pitchers in the third and fourth frames, Macias scored Herman from third after he singled and stole second base against Long, increasing their lead, now 4-1.

Long's day came to an end after five innings, as the southpaw out of Sacramento gave up four runs on seven hits, while punching out five batters along the way.

Devon Perez got the first call out of the bullpen for Kannapolis in the sixth, retiring the first three he saw in that frame. However, in the bottom of the seventh, Davis doubled and was then followed by a Herman homer (10) to left field to extend the Greensboro lead, 6-1.

The Intimidators collected half of their 10 hits of the night in the eighth inning, as Michael Hickman led off the frame with a single to left field. Ramon Beltre followed with a double (17) to center field, putting two runners in scoring position for Dawkins. On a 2-2 pitch, Dawkins collected his third hit of the day on an infield single to second baseman Ji-Hwan Bae, allowing Hickman to scurry home and cut the lead to four runs, 6-2.

Next up, Lenyn Sosa grounded into a double play but score Beltre in the process to cut the lead in half, now 6-3. Despite an Andrew Vaughn and Alex Destino single with two outs, the Intimidators did not score a run after Zangari grounded out to short to end the Kannapolis threat in the eighth.

The Grasshoppers tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth thanks to a wild pitch from Declan Cronin to get their lead to four runs, 7-3. Romy Gonzalez reached on a five-pitch walk to lead off the ninth inning for Kannapolis, but three straight strikeouts ended the ballgame.

The Intimidators will send out Davis Martin (6-8, 5.85 ERA) Saturday night at 7:00 p.m. against Greensboro's Alex Manasa (8-3, 3.63 ERA) at First National Bank Field.

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