Tourists top 'Dads in series opener, 5-2
June 2, 2008 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Hickory Crawdads News Release
Looking for its first win of the season against Asheville, Hickory fell 5-2 at L.P. Frans Stadium on Monday, the Crawdads' sixth straight loss.
Hickory matched its season-high with its sixth consecutive defeats and dropped to 0-4 on the year against the league's best team, which extended its winning streak to nine straight games en route to improving its South Atlantic League-best 41-17 record.
A pair of untimely injuries and lack of late offensive production sunk Hickory (27-31), attempting to snap its five-game skid.
With outfielder Austin McClune out with a sore back, center fielder Marcus Davis left the game with an undisclosed injury in the middle of the second inning and starting left fielder Tom Hagan exited in the fifth, grabbing his right leg while rounding first base on an RBI single.
Still, the Crawdads battled the Tourists to a 2-2 tie through six innings.
Hickory took the game's first lead, jumping ahead 1-0 on a Danny Bomback RBI double to drive in Simon in the bottom half of the second inning.
Asheville promptly took over the lead with a two-run top of the third, courtesy of Darin Holcomb's RBI double and Brian Rike's run-scoring single.
Hagan's ill-fated single drove in Victor Alvarez to tie the game in the sixth before Asheville took the lead for good in the top of the seventh.
Michael Mitchell's RBI single broke the 2-2 tie before Holcomb delivered the knockout punch with a two-run double.
The 'Dads did threaten in the bottom of the ninth inning, putting runners at first and second with no outs, but Asheville's Craig Baker then struck out the next three batters swinging to send Hickory to defeat.
Starter Cory Riordan improved to 6-3 with the win. Despite allowing 10 hits, Riordan walked only one, struck out seven and suffered both runs.
Hickory's Duke Welker took the loss, dropping to 1-2. Welker surrendered eight hits, two walks and struck out four, charged with four runs.
Baker earned the save, his second of the season.
Hagan, Matt Cavagnaro, Erik Huber and Bobby Spain each finished with two hits for Hickory, while Holcomb (3-5, 2 2B, 3 RBI, 1 R) and Mitchell (3-4, 2 R, 1 RBI) paced Asheville.
The teams meet again Tuesday morning at 11, as Hickory RHP Brad Lincoln (2-1, 2.25 ERA) takes on Asheville RHP Connor Graham (4-3, 2.02).
It is Education Day at L.P. Frans Stadium and will conclude the Hickory portion of a two-game, home-and-home series between the Crawdads and the Tourists.
For more information, call the Crawdads at (828) 322-3000.
GAME NOTES: Game time was 2:52. Attendance was 1,217. ...Hickory's Wanell Macia was forced into emergency outfield duty, playing three innings in left field and going 0-1. Macia, a converted relief pitcher, played for Hickory as an outfielder the last three seasons. ...Cavagnaro hit leadoff for the first time this season, finishing 2-4. ...It marked the second time in the last four games Hickory notched 10 hits and lost, following a 5-0 defeat at Charleston on Friday. ...Asheville's Everth Cabrera stole two bases, improving his Minor League Baseball-leading totla to 40. ...The league announced its all-star teams before the game. Hickory featured three players: 3B Bobby Spain, 1B Miles Durham and SS Jose De Los Santos. Asheville featured a league-high seven: 2B Everth Cabrera, 3B Darin Holcomb, OF Michael Mitchell, OF Brian Rike, SP Jhoulys Chacin, RP Randall Taylor and RP Joey Williamson.
South Atlantic League Stories from June 2, 2008
- BlueClaws stay hot with 8-7 win over Hagerstown - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Power Snap Home Losing Skid - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Drive Comeback Falls Short in Series Opener Versus GreenJackets - Greenville Drive
- Shorebirds Stop Captains 5-4 - Lake County Captains
- RiverDogs Win Sixth Straight, Burn Rome 5-2 - Charleston RiverDogs
- Tourists top 'Dads in series opener, 5-2 - Hickory Crawdads
- 'Birds Slip Past Captains, 5-4 - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Not Intimidated - Greensboro Grasshoppers
- Maday Works Career High In Augusta Win - Augusta GreenJackets
- Intimidators Open Series Against Grasshoppers With 7-1 Loss - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Three Catfish Recognized as South Atlantic League All-Stars - Columbus Catfish
- 8th Inning Costs Catfish - Columbus Catfish
- Augusta Lands Three Pitchers on All-Star Team - Augusta GreenJackets
- Rome Braves Send Two Representatives - Rome Emperors
- South Atlantic League Announces 2008 All-Star Rosters - SAL1
- Abruzzo, Francisco Pena Named to All-Star Squad - Savannah Sand Gnats
- Rosters Set For South Atlantic League All-Star Game - Greensboro Grasshoppers
- Seven Tourists Players, Two Coaches Named to SAL All-Star Game - Asheville Tourists
- Tyson, Four Players to Represent RiverDogs at SAL All-Star Game - Charleston RiverDogs
- 38th Annual Irish Festival comes to FirstEnergy Park on June 14 - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Jason Stephens Named SAL Co-Pitcher of the Week - Charleston RiverDogs
- BlueClaws host Hagerstown and Delmarva to close out first half - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Drive Partner with WMYA to Televise Games - Greenville Drive
- Catfish Hosting Pacelli High School Night - Columbus Catfish
- Catfish Seeking Group Support - Columbus Catfish
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