Pitching Dominates in 'Dads 6-2 Win
Published on August 26, 2014 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Hickory Crawdads News Release
Lakewood, NJ - The Hickory Crawdads got their season-ending road trip started on the right foot Tuesday night, as the 'Dads rode the pitching of Frank Lopez and Jose Monegro to a 6-2 win over the Lakewood BlueClaws at FirstEnergy Park.
The Crawdads pitching combination of Lopez and Monegro combined to hold the BlueClaws to two runs on five hits, with the duo also striking out 10 total batters. The 'Dads offense meanwhile used a three-run 3rd inning and two-run 4th to pull away from the 'Claws, with Luis Marte (3-4, 2B, 2 R, SB) and Ronald Guzman (2-4, 2 RBI) leading the way at the plate.
It was Lakewood who struck first in the game, with BlueClaws slugger Dylan Cozens mashing his team-leading 16th home run of the year in the 2nd for a 2-run blast and a 2-0 'Claws lead. The Crawdads quickly responded in the top of the 3rd, scoring three runs on three hits and two errors to take a 3-2 advantage. Evan Van Hoosier drove in the first tally of the inning with an infield RBI hit before Guzman plated the first of his two runs on the night on a RBI single to left. Van Hoosier would then come in to score the frame's third run on back-to-back errors, as Lakewood pitcher Tyler Viza's pickoff throw to second base sailed into the outfield before center fielder Carlos Tocci overran the ball allowing Van Hoosier to score all the way from second.
The 'Dads pushed their lead to 5-2 the next inning, with Nick Urbanus driving home Marcus Greene with a RBI single while Marte singled and eventually stole home on a double steal. Hickory plated their final tally in the 7th, with Van Hoosier reaching on a fielding error by 'Claws third baseman Mitch Walding before coming around to score on a RBI base knock by Guzman to give the Crawdads the final 6-2 lead.
Lopez (3-2) earned the win with two runs allowed on four hits, two walks, and six strikeouts over five innings pitched. Viza (3-17) picked up his South Atlantic League-leading 17th loss after giving up five runs, four earned, on five hits, two walks, and six Ks over 3.2 frames. Monegro earned his first save of the year with four scoreless innings out of the bullpen on one hit and four strikeouts.
The Crawdads (35-29) will take on the BlueClaws (23-39) again on Wednesday in game two of the three game series at 7:05 pm.
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