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SAL1 Hickory Crawdads

Wild 6th Inning Leads to 4-2 'Dads Loss

June 5, 2015 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Hickory Crawdads News Release


Lakewood, NJ - The Hickory Crawdads were two thirds of the way to riding their pitching staff to yet another win Friday night, before a wild 6th inning turned a 2-0 lead into a 4-2 loss to the Lakewood BlueClaws at FirstEnergy Park.

The 'Dads entered the bottom of the 6th with starting pitcher Nick Gardewine having cruised through five scoreless frames while protecting a 2-0 lead, but three hits and a controversial call later Hickory found itself looking up at a 4-2 deficit they would not recover from. The loss marked just the second time all year that the Crawdads held a lead after the 3rd inning and did not end the night with a win.

The decisive frame began with BlueClaws DH Herlis Rodriguez reaching on a lightly hit ground ball that resulted in an infield single. Grenny Cumana followed with a tapper in front of the plate that 'Dads catcher Jose Trevino fielded and threw to second base in an attempt to get the lead runner, but Rodriguez beat the throw to put two men on with no outs. The situation grew worse for the Crawdads when Lakewood leadoff hitter Malquin Canelo hit a ground ball through the right side to load the bases for the 'Claws with nobody out.

Gardewine responded with a strikeout of Cord Sandberg before inducing a fly ball to right field from Carlos Tocci that Hickory right fielder Luke Tendler bobbled but appeared to ultimately catch resulting in an RBI sacrifice fly. The umpires ruled that Tendler actually dropped the ball however, turning a two on, two out situation into a bases loaded, one out scenario with the 'Dads lead down to 2-1. BlueClaws cleanup hitter Rhys Hoskins capitalized on the opportunity on the very next pitch, as he lined a bases clearing double to center field to score three runs and give Lakewood the 4-2 score they would go on to win by.

Crawdads manager Corey Ragsdale would earn his first ejection of the season arguing the call following Hoskins' game-changing hit.

Prior to the bottom of the 6th, the 'Dads had built a lead with single runs in top half of the 1st and 6th frames for their 2-0 advantage. Tendler delivered the 1st inning tally with a 2-out, RBI single to right, while Jairo Beras came through with an RBI single up the middle in the 6th. That seemed to be enough support for Gardewine, who began the night with three perfect innings and faced the minimum number of batters through the first four frames before losing the lead late.

Gardewine (4-4) ended up as the hard-luck loser, as the Hickory hurler allowed four runs, three earned, on five hits, no walks, and two strikeouts over a season-high 5.1 innings pitched. Lakewood reliever Scott Harris (1-1) earned the win after allowing one run on two hits and four Ks during his two innings on the mound.

Tendler led the 'Dads offense with a 2-4 night including a double and an RBI, while Josh Morgan also finished with a multi-hit game going 2-4.

The Crawdads (35-19) maintained their 2.5 game division lead over the West Virginia Power despite the loss, with 15 games left in the first half of the season. The 'Dads and BlueClaws (26-26) will face off again Saturday night at 7:05 pm in game three of their 4-game series.

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