Suns Take Two From 'Dads
Published on June 13, 2013 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Hickory Crawdads News Release
Hagerstown, MD - One day after the Hickory Crawdads swept a doubleheader against the Hagerstown Suns the 'Dads had the script flipped on them Wednesday night, as Hagerstown took game one 10-3 before winning 6-5 in walk off fashion in the nightcap. The two losses and resulting series split sends the 'Dads home with a half game lead over the Suns in the SAL Northern Division.
Game one saw the Suns jump out to an early lead and never look back, as the club scored once in the first and twice in the third to take a 3-0 advantage. The 'Dads would briefly climb back in the game in the fourth when Nick Williams lined a solo home run to center field to cut the score to 3-1, but Hagerstown quickly responded with a 3-run homer by Wilmer Difo in the bottom of the frame to push their advantage to 6-1.
The Suns would score four more runs in the fifth to go ahead 10-1, before Ryan Rua lined a 2-run homer to right in the sixth to finish the scoring at 10-3.
Williams finished the game 1-2 with his 12th long ball of the year while Rua also went 1-2, collecting his 18th homer of the season.
Hickory starting pitcher Tyler Smith (4-5) took the loss after allowing six runs, four earned, on six hits, three walks and two strikeouts in four innings pitched. Hagerstown starter Brett Mooneyham (2-1) earned the win for his five innings pitched with one run allowed on two hits, three walks and five Ks.
Game two started off much more promising for the Crawdads, as Joey Gallo lined a solo homer off the light poll in dead center field to give Hickory a 1-0 lead in the first. The advantage grew in the inning when Nomar Mazara blasted a 2-run homer of his own to right to give the 'Dads a 3-0 lead.
That would last until the third, when the Suns got to 'Dads starter Ryan Bores for four runs on six hits to take over the lead at 4-3.
Gallo would come through once again in the fifth however, launching another solo blast to center field to tie the game at 4-4. The homer was the 20th of the season for the red-hot third baseman, making him the first player in Minor League Baseball to reach the mark this year.
The 'Dads would go on to re-take the lead in the top of the 6th, with Lewis Brinson driving in Mazara on an RBI groundout to put Hickory ahead 5-4. The Suns would respond again in the sixth however, tying the game at 5-5 on a 2-out, RBI single to center against All-Star closer Alexander Claudio.
The game would eventually go into extra innings, with neither team able to break the tie through 8 innings. Finally in the bottom of the 9th, Hagerstown right fielder Brandon Miller was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, putting the winning run on base. Center fielder Will Piwnica-Worms followed with a sacrifice bunt, but 'Dads reliever Jose Leclerc overthrew first base allowing Miller to score all the way from first to end the game at 6-5.
Leclerc (1-4) took the loss due to the error, while Suns reliever Gilberto Mendez (1-0) earned the win making his SAL debut.
Gallo finished the game 2-4 with two home runs, giving him 5 long balls in the four-game series. Mazara also had a good game going 2-4 with his HR and a walk while Ronald Guzman finished 2-4 with a double.
The pair of loses drops Hickory to 37-29, still a half game ahead of Hagerstown (35-28) and two games ahead of West Virginia in the Northern Division. The Crawdads return home for the final four games of the season against the Delmarva Shorebirds. First pitch Thursday night is scheduled for 7:00 pm.
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- Suns Take Two From 'Dads - Hickory Crawdads
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