SAL1 Kannapolis Cannon Ballers

Williams Provides Enough Offense to Survive

Published on June 27, 2014 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers News Release


KANNAPOLIS, N.C. (June 27, 2014) - Designated hitter T.J. Williams homered and drove in three runs to provide just enough offense for Kannapolis to survive a RiverDogs rally in the ninth inning in a 6-5 win on Friday at CMC-NorthEast Stadium. The Intimidators (35-41, 6-3 Second Half) won their third straight game despite Charleston's late offensive showing aided by a pair of Kannapolis errors.

With Kannapolis up 6-2 going into the ninth, Charleston's Mike Ford led off the inning with a sky-high pop-up in front of the plate that catcher Brett Austin couldn't handle, allowing Ford to reach second base on an error. Miguel Andujar followed with an RBI-single and scored two batters later on a John Murphy base hit to cut the Intimidators lead, 6-4. Two batters later, Michael O'Neill dribbled an infield single to shortstop, and Cleuluis Rondon's throw to first base got away from Danny Hayes, allowing Murphy to score on the throwing error, pulling the RiverDogs within a run. With the tying run aboard, reliever Brett Bruening plunked the go-ahead run, putting him on base, before getting Dustin Fowler to fly out to the warning track in right field, preserving a 6-5 win.

Kannapolis captured its first lead in the bottom of the fifth inning after trailing 2-1. Williams knotted the game with a solo home run (4) to right field. Rondon reached on a 2-out single, and Trey Michalczewski followed with a triple off the top of the wall in right field to cash Rondon for a 3-2 lead.

Williams, who finished 2-4 with a career-high-tying 3 RBI, added a 2-run triple in the sixth for a 5-2 advantage. In total, Kannapolis set a season-high with three triples in the game.

Thad Lowry (3-4) matched his career-high with 6.0 innings of work, allowing two runs on seven hits for the win. Dylan Chavez retired all six batters he faced over 2.0 perfect innings, giving him a string of 4.0 consecutive perfect innings over his last two outings. Bruening allowed three runs (one earned) in the ninth while collecting his first professional strikeout.

Brady Lail (7-4) took the loss for Charleston, allowing three runs on seven hits over 5.0 innings.

Charleston struck first in the second inning but great defense by Kannapolis limited the RiverDogs to only a run. With bases loaded, John Murphy singled to right field, scoring Reymond Nunez, but right fielder Jacob Morris fired a strike to catcher Brett Austin, who applied a tag on Mike Ford to prevent an additional run.

In the fourth inning, Miguel Andujar drew a 4-pitch walk with two outs then scored from first base on a Jackson Valera double for a 2-1 lead.

The Intimidators and RiverDogs play Game 2 of this 4-game series on Saturday at 7:05 p.m. with post-game fireworks presented by the Springhill Suites in Concord and SREE Hotels. Gates open at 6 p.m. For ticket and promotional information, call the F&M Bank Box Office at (704) 932-3267 or visit IntimidatorsBaseball.com.

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South Atlantic League Stories from June 27, 2014


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