Tate Ks Kannapolis for 6-1 'Dads Win
April 14, 2016 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Hickory Crawdads News Release
Hickory Crawdads Pitcher Dillon Tate
(Hickory Crawdads)
Hickory, NC - Hickory Crawdads starting pitcher Dillon Tate was in fine form for the 'Dads Home Opener against the Kannapolis Intimidators Thursday night, as the Hickory hurler struck out 10 batters over 6 shutout innings to lead the Crawdads to a 6-1 win at L.P. Frans Stadium.
Tate allowed a leadoff single to start his outing before settling in and only allowing three more total base runners the rest of the way, as the 2015 1st round draft pick earned his first professional win by becoming the first 'Dads pitcher this season to complete six innings. The California native recorded multiple strikeouts in four of his six innings, including a string of four straight Ks spanning the end of the 1st and the start of the 2nd innings.
Supporting Tate's dominant start was a Crawdads offense that pounded out a season high 13 hits while scoring six runs. All nine starting players reached base safely at least once, while four batters finished with a multi-hit night. Second baseman Andy Ibanez was once again in the middle of the action with his sixth multi-hit contest in his seven games played this year. Frandy De La Rosa (2-4, HR, RBI), Eric Jenkins (2-4, 2B, 2 R), and Chuck Moorman (2-3, BB, R) all finished with multi-hit games as well, while Darius Day went 1-2 with 2 RBI and a walk.
The all-around dominant performance stretched the Crawdads current winning streak to four games and improved the team's record to 7-1 on the year, the club's best start to a season since at least 2005.
The 'Dads bats jumped on Kannapolis starting pitcher Zach Thompson beginning in the 1st, when Jenkins lined a double to right and came in two batters later on an RBI double from Yeyson Yrizarri for a 1-0 Hickory lead. The Crawdads kept their foot on the gas in the next frame with three more tallies for a 4-0 advantage. Ti'Quan Forbes started the rally with a one-out, ground rule double to left, followed by a single from Moorman and a 2-RBI base knock by Day. Jenkins would then line a single of his own to center before eventually scoring on an RBI single by Ibanez.
Hickory got back on the board in the bottom of the 4th, this time on one swing of the bat from De La Rosa who lined an opposite field, solo home run to left that put the Crawdads ahead 5-0.
The Intimidators finally got on the board against 'Dads reliever Joe Palumbo in the 8th with an RBI single from Corey Zangari that plated Landon Lassiter, but the Crawdads responded in the bottom of the frame with an RBI sacrifice fly by Forbes that brought home LeDarious Clark for the final 6-1 score Hickory would win by.
Tate (1-0) earned the win for his dominant performance, while Palumbo (1) recorded the save with one run allowed on four hits and 5 strikeouts over his 3 innings out of the bullpen. Thompson (0-1) took the loss for Kannapolis after giving up 5 runs on 8 hits, one walk, and 5 Ks over 3.1 IP.
The Crawdads (7-1) will look to keep their winning streak alive in game two of their 4-game series against Kannapolis (3-5) Friday night, with first pitch scheduled for 7:00 pm.
Images from this story
 Hickory Crawdads Pitcher Dillon Tate |
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