Hague Homer Seals Hickory Win
Published on June 29, 2008 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Hickory Crawdads News Release
Hickory staved off another late-game Augusta rally, using a comeback of its own to win, 6-4, Saturday. Matt Hague's eighth-inning, two-run home run did the trick as the game winner. Everything seemed right for the Crawdads from the get-go, as starter Bradley Clapp needed just four pitches to record a perfect first inning and faced the minimum through two. At the same time, Austin McClune broke a string of 26 straight batters retired by GreenJackets starter Waldis Joaquin entering the game with a first-inning walk, later to be driven in by Erik Huber's RBI double.
But a 55-minute rain delay put the 'Dads' good feelings on hold. After Hickory later took a 3-0 lead out of the fifth inning and Augusta scored four runs in the seventh, the Crawdads' comfort level disappeared entirely.
But down 4-3 in the bottom of the eighth, McClune got on base again with a single. Hague then stepped to the plate and laced a controversial ground ball just past the third base bag on the first pitch he saw. While ruled foul from the start, the players continued without notice, with McClune scoring all the way from first to seemingly tie the game.
Once the dust settled, Hague had to return home and McClune to first. On the very next pitch after one pickoff attempt to first, Hague lifted a curveball over the left-center field fence for the two-run, go-ahead blast, his second home run in two nights.
Later in the inning, Danny Bomback would drive in Andrew Walker -- who was hit by a pitch -- for some insurance and the final 6-4 margin.
It was Hague's first hit of the game and the first-year player, in just his fourth game with the Crawdads, now has two long balls on the year.
His heroics erased the thought of Augusta's four-run, five-hit seventh inning that brought back memories of its four- and five-run sixth innings in both games of Saturday's doubleheader.
Harrison Bishop earned the win for Hickory (4-7, 34, 47), to improve to 4-2 after tossing a perfect eighth and ninth inning. He took the win for childhood friend Clapp, the starter who did not return to the game after the rain delay.
Ryan Paul dropped to 1-2 with the loss for Augusta (8-3, 49-31), as he allowed all three Hickory runs in the eighth.
The Crawdads received a balanced offensive attack, as five different players scored and five drove in runs. Hague, Bomback, and Greg Picart were three who did both.
The win snapped a four-game losing skid for Hickory and ended a six-game winning streak for Augusta. The Crawdads also halted a five-game losing streak against the GreenJackets and won for just the second time in their last 13 Sunday games.
Hickory will look to even the series Monday night at 7, when RHP Duke Welker (1-4, 4.59 ERA) takes on RHP Chance Corgan (0-2, 3.65).
For tickets and more information, call the Crawdads at (828) 322-3000 or explore www.hickorycrawdads.com.
GAME NOTES: Game time was 2:31, not including the 55-minute delay. Attendance was 1,925. ...The last time Hickory won a game on a Sunday was a 4-2 victory at Rome on May 18. The last time the 'Dads won at home on a Sunday was in a doubleheader sweep of West Virginia on April 6, the first Sunday of the season. ...Reliever Wanell Macia extended his scoreless innings streak to 10.1 with three shutout frames in relief of Clapp. The outing matches several other for the season-long among Crawdads relievers this season. ...With his no-decision, Clapp staved off a loss that would have tied him with two others for the most career defeats in Crawdads history. Since getting within one loss of the dubious 17th in his Hickory career, Clapp has gone 1-0 with two no-decisions in three starts.
South Atlantic League Stories from June 29, 2008
- Power Defeat Legends In 10 - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Asheville's Dramatic Comeback Thwarted - Asheville Tourists
- Columbus Wins Big for Their Seventh Straight - Columbus Catfish
- Hague Homer Seals Hickory Win - Hickory Crawdads
- Augusta's Win Streak Snapped by Crawdads - Augusta GreenJackets
- Lin's Walk-Off Blast Defeats Tourists, 12-10 - Greenville Drive
- Hoppers Drop Rain-Shortened Finale - Greensboro Grasshoppers
- Intimidators Take Rain-Shortened Contest 7-3 Over Grasshoppers, Win Streak At Six - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Another One-Run Game Bites Gnats As Dogs Win, 3-2 - Savannah Sand Gnats
- Suns Top Captains 4-3 - Lake County Captains
- Tempers Flare As Suns Sweep Captains - Hagerstown Suns
- Kennelly powers 'Claws to 3-1 win over Delmarva - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Claws Pinch Birds, 3-1, on Sunday Afternoon - Delmarva Shorebirds
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