After their recent success on the diamond, the Hickory Crawdads were looking forward to their game on Tuesday night against the Augusta GreenJackets, but unfortunately for them, the weather would not comply. Tuesday's scheduled game between the two teams was canceled due to inclement weather and will not be rescheduled. Either way, the Crawdads will take it, picking up the series win, beating the GreenJackets two-games-to-one, and making the 'Dads winners of their last four series. The team will take an additional day off and then return home for an eight-game home-stand starting Thursday night against the Kannapolis Intimidators at 7 p.m.
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The Hickory Crawdads continued their recent solid baseball on Monday night, beating the Augusta GreenJackets 6-0. Hickory got on the board first with two runs against Augusta starter LHP Craig Clark (2-2, 4.50 ERA) in the top of the second inning. With the bases loaded and nobody out, Matt West was hit by a pitch to drive in Zach Zaneski for the first run of the game. Yefry Castillo then hit into an RBI fielder's choice to 3B Chris Dominguez, plating Vinny DiFazio from third to put the 'Dads up, 2-0. The 'Dads scored again in the third inning with two outs when DiFazio ripped a double off the wall in left-center field to put Hickory up, 3-0. Hickory then tacked on three more insurance runs in the fifth when Jared Prince lined an RBI double to the gap in left-center. After moving up to third on a sacrifice fly, Prince scored on an RBI double by 1B Jared Bolden, with Bolden taking third on a misplayed throw back to the infield. CF Guillermo Pimentel capped off the night's scoring with an RBI infield single to Dominguez at third to bring in Bolden and increase the Crawdads lead to the eventual final score of 6-0. Crawdads starter RHP Neil Ramirez shut out the Augusta GreenJackets through six innings, recording a team single-game high of 10 strikeouts while giving up 5 hits, and Sam Brown recorded the first out of the top of the seventh inning for the 'Dads, before the game went into a 36 minute delay due to inclement weather and was eventually called. Meanwhile, Jared Prince extended his hitting streak to 15 games.
The Hickory Crawdads didn't have a problem scoring runs this weekend, as they won two-of-three games. On Friday, the 'Dads scored seven runs in the fifth inning as they edged the Delmarva Shorebirds 9-7. Zach Zaneski hit his first career grand slam and 2B Travis Adair and RF Jared Prince extended their hitting streaks to 15 and 12 games, respectively. Robbie Erlin picked up the win for the Crawdads, having allowed one run on five hits with eight strikeouts through five frames. On Saturday, the Augusta GreenJackets rode an 11-run third inning en route to a 13-7 win over the Crawdads. Vinny DiFazio smacked his ninth home run of the season and 3B Travis Adair and RF Jared Prince extended their hitting streaks to 16 and 13 games, respectively. Jake Brigham relinquished 10 runs on 10 hits and three walks while striking out two over 2.1 innings to get saddled with the loss. On Sunday, the Crawdads then used a balance offensive attack to beat the Augusta GreenJackets 6-4. Augusta (16-14, 57-43) raced out to the early lead with three runs (one earned) in the bottom of the first inning against 'Dads starter RHP Danny Gutierrez. With one out and 2B Ryan Cavan on at second, 3B Chris Dominguez lined an RBI double to left-center field to push across Cavan for the first run of the ballgame. After 1B Luke Anders singled to put runners on the corners, Tommy Joseph hit a sacrifice fly to left-center to score Dominguez. C Hector Sanchez capped off the inning with an RBI double, scoring Anders from first to give the GreenJackets the early 3-0 lead. Gutierrez then threw two scoreless frames before Matt Thompson (8-7, 3.97 ERA) followed, surrendering just one run on six hits and a walk while striking out six in five innings of relief. With his strikeout of C Hector Sanchez to open the fourth inning, Thompson became the first Crawdads pitcher to reach 100 strikeouts on the season, finishing the ballgame at 104. Hickory then cut into the Augusta lead in the top of the second inning with their first of three consecutive two-run frames. With runners at second and third and two outs, 2B Jonathan Roof smacked a two-run single to left-center field to plate SS Edwin Garcia and C Leonel De Los Santos, pulling Hickory to within a run at 3-2. The 'Dads then took the lead with two more runs in the third on a two-run homer by 3B Matt West, who was just activated off the disabled list. They added another two runs in the fourth frame when Roof drove De Los Santos in on a single to record his third RBI of the game. After moving to third when Prince reached on a fielding error by SS Ydwin Villegas, Roof scored on a sacrifice fly by Vinny DiFazio to extend Hickory's lead to 6-3. The GreenJackets pulled a run closer on a solo homer by Evan Crawford to lead off the bottom of the eighth inning, but were halted the rest of the way by Thompson and RHP Tyler Tufts, as Hickory went on to win, 6-4. Thompson notched the win for Hickory with Tufts dealing a perfect ninth inning to notch his sixth save of the season. RHP Chris Heston (3-11, 4.80 ERA) took the loss for Augusta. Meanwhile, Travis Adair and Jared Prince continued their hot hitting, extending their hitting streaks to 17 and 14 games, respectively.
Well, give it to the Hickory Crawdads, they are relentless. After suffering some tough losses the last few days where they rallied but came up short, the 'Dads finally rallied for a 7-5 win over the Delmarva Shorebirds 7-5 on Thursday night. The Shorebirds (14-12, 46-50) raced to an early lead with two runs in the top of the first against Hickory starter RHP Braden Tullis. With one out in the frame, Omar Casamayor singled to right field and then Tyler Townsend smashed a two-run home run to left-center field, putting Delmarva up, 2-0. The Crawdads used a four-run second inning to take the lead though. Facing Shorebirds starter RHP Jesse Beal, Zach Zaneski started the inning by reaching on an infield single and scored on a monster homer by DiFazio. One out later, Guillermo Pimentel singled up the middle and advanced to second on a ground-out. Adair then drove sliced an RBI single to center. Joe Bonadonna then lined a single to right field that was bobbled by Brian Conley, allowing Adair to score from first and put the 'Dads in front 4-2. Hickory added another run in the third frame on an RBI single by Pimentel, plating Zaneski from third to go ahead, 5-2, before the Shorebirds began to start a rally. Delmarva scored a run in the fourth inning when Townsend led off with a triple that bounced off the top of the center field wall and back into play. He then came in to score on a sacrifice fly by Kieron Pope. Then, in the fifth, the Shorebirds knotted the game at 5 when Conley hit a two-run homer. With the game tied at 5, Jared Bolden got the bottom of the eighth inning going for the Crawdads (15-12, 55-42) with a lead-off double to left field. After Bolden tagged up and advanced to third base on a fly-out by C Zach Zaneski, DH Vinny DiFazio was intentionally walked to put runners on the corners with one out. Cody Podraza followed with a sacrifice bunt back to Delmarva reliever RHP Brian Parker (1-1, 3.18 ERA), who threw wildly to first, allowing Bolden to score with DiFazio reaching third and Podraza stopping at second. Guillermo Pimentel then laced a single to center field, plating DiFazio from third to put Hickory ahead by the eventual final score of 7-5. Joseph Ortiz (2-1, 1.42 ERA) came on in relief pitched 3.2 hit-less innings, allowing just one walk while striking out eight to pick up the win for the Crawdads. Tyler Tufts recorded the final out of the ninth to notch the save for the 'Dads, meanwhile Parker was saddled with the loss for the Shorebirds. On the offensive side, Travis Adair extended his team-leading hitting streak to 14 games and Jared Prince pushed his streak to 11 straight.
The Hickory Crawdads attempt at a rally fell short last night, as they lost to the Delmarva Shorebirds 10-6. Hickory (14-12, 54-12) got on the board in the bottom of the first inning against Shorebirds starter RHP Kenny Moreland (6-3, 2.97 ERA). With the bases loaded and one out, Vinny DiFazio hit into a 6-to-4 fielder's choice, allowing Adair to score from third. Mike Ortiz followed with an RBI double to bring in 3B Joe Bonadonna. Guillermo Pimentel then laced a single to right-center field to plate DiFazio and hand the 'Dads an early 3-0 lead. The Shorebirds (14-11, 46-49) chipped away though, scoring two runs in the top of the third. With the bases loaded and two outs in the inning, 1B Tyler Townsend smacked a two-run double to right field, scoring CF Mikey Planeta and SS Garabez Rosa to cut the Hickory lead to 3-2. Delmarva tied the game in the fourth inning against Crawdads starter RHP Neil Ramirez (7-7, 5.02 ERA) when Planeta drove an RBI double to deep center field, knotting the game at 3-3. After scoring a run in the top of the fifth to take a 4-3 lead, the Shorebirds extended their advantage with a six-run top of the sixth inning. With runners at second and third and two outs, Rosa grounded to third, but the ball skipped away from Bonadonna, allowing Casamayor to score from third and extending the inning. After LF T.J. Baxter walked to load the bases, 3B Ty Kelly hit a two-run single and was followed by Townsend with a three-run homer to right field, pushing the 'Dads deficit to 10-3. All six of the runs scored against RHP Danny Gutierrez in the inning were unearned. In the seventh, Adair smashed a solo shot to cut the 'Dads deficit to 10-4. Trailing 10-4 in the bottom of the ninth, the 'Dads staged a rally. With runners on first and second and two outs, CF Jared Bolden doubled to left field, plating Adair from second. DiFazio, seeing his first action since hitting the DL in May, then drove home Bonadonna on an RBI infield single to SS Garabez Rosa, decreasing the Shorebirds lead to 10-6. After 1B Mike Ortiz walked to load the bases, Pimentel stepped to the plate, representing the tying run, but Delmarva reliever RHP David Walters induced a ground-out to end the ballgame by the final score of 10-6. Ramirez surrendered four runs (three earned) on eight hits and two walks while striking out five in five innings of work to take the loss. Moreland won it for Delmarva, allowing three runs on nine hits and a walk while fanning four in six inning, while Walters picked up the save for the Shorebirds. 2B Travis Adair and LF Guillermo Pimentel each went 4-for-5 at the plate with an RBI, with Adair hitting his first home run of the season for the Crawdads.
The Hickory Crawdads received another stellar pitching performance as they cruised to a 4-1 win over the Delmarva Shorebirds on Tuesday night. RHP Matt Thompson pitched seven shutout innings as the 'Dads captured their fourth win in a row. Thompson (7-7, 4.08 ERA) allowed just six hits while whiffing six through his seven scoreless frames, as he picked up the win for Hickory. The 'Dads offense got on the board early against Shorebirds starter RHP Brent Allar in the bottom of the second inning. CF Jared Bolden led off with a walk and advanced to third when C Zach Zaneski got aboard on a fielding error by SS Garabez Rosa. 1B Mike Ortiz then grounded into a double play, but Bolden came in to score, putting the 'Dads ahead, 1-0. In the fifth, the Crawdads added another run with a two-out rally. After 2B Travis Adair singled to keep the inning alive, he stole second. 3B Joe Bonadonna then walked to bring RF Jared Prince to the plate. Prince smacked an RBI single to left-center field to score Adair and push Hickory's lead to 2-0. The 'Dads added two more insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. With the bases loaded and nobody out, DH Yefry Castillo laced a two-run double to left field, plating Zaneski and Ortiz to further extend the Crawdads advantage to 4-0. Delmarva (13-11, 45-49) plated their lone run in the top of the eighth inning against reliever Sam Brown. 3B Ty Kelly led off the inning with a single and advanced to third on a ground-out and a wild pitch. With one out and Kelly ninety feet from scoring, LF Kieron Pope lined a single to center field, driving in Kelly to get the Shorebirds on the board. However, RHP Tyler Tufts took over and retired five straight to give Hickory the 4-1 win. Tufts pitched 1.2 perfect frames of relief with two strikeouts to secure his third save with the Crawdads. Allar meanwhile (2-1, 4.82 ERA), surrendered four runs on five hits and four walks with two strikeouts through five innings to take the loss for the Shorebirds.
The Hickory Crawdads for the second straight weekend, walked away with wins on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. On Friday, 'Dads starter RHP Braden Tullis picked up his third straight win in as many chances, as the 'Dads defeated the Lexington Legends, 3-1 on Friday night. Tullis (4-0, 1.89 ERA) allowed just one unearned run on five hits with six strikeouts through a season-high seven frames, picking up the win. RHP Tyler Tufts wrapped up the victory with two scoreless innings to record the save, while Legends starter LHP Luis Cruz (4-2, 3.04 ERA) was saddled with the loss.
On Saturday the Crawdads put on a hitting display against the Lexington Legends, crushing the Legends by the final score of 15-4,. The 11-run margin of victory was the largest for the Crawdads this season. RF Jared Prince provided much of the offense with two home runs, including his second grand slam of the season. Prince also became the first 'Dads player to hit two homers in a game this season, in addition to driving in a single game team-high six runs on the night.
Finally, on Sunday, RHP Jake Brigham led the Hickory Crawdads to a 6-1, series clinching, win over the Lexington Legends, going the distance for the first complete game of his career, on Sunday afternoon. Brigham (2-1, 1.67 ERA) allowed just one run on three hits and a walk while striking out four through all nine frames to secure the win. He becomes only the second 'Dads pitcher to throw a complete game, joining RHP Joe Wieland who has since been promoted to High-A Bakersfield. The Crawdads (13-11, 53-41) wasted no time, putting up two runs on the board against Legends starter RHP Robby Donovan (7-6, 3.61 ERA) in the top of the first inning. With two outs in the frame, RF Jared Prince kept the inning alive with a single to center and CF Jared Bolden followed by launching his second home run of the season to right field, putting Hickory ahead 2-0. Lexington (12-12, 47-47) responded with its only run of the ballgame in the fourth inning on a lead-off home run by 3B Miguel Arrendell, cutting the 'Dads lead to 2-1. Hickory tacked on to its lead in the top of the ninth, giving Brigham more room to work with. With the bases loaded and two outs, DH Travis Adair smacked a bases-clearing double off the wall in right center field, and 3B Joe Bonadonna followed by bringing in Adair on a double of his own to right field, accounting for the final score of 6-1. Donovan surrendered two runs on five hits and three walks while striking out six through six innings to take the loss for the Legends.
Moving from the college to the professional ranks, the Hickory Crawdads rallied for two runs in the top of the ninth against the Lexington Legends, but came up just shy, losing 3-2 on Thursday night. Lexington (12-9, 47-44) scored first with a run in the bottom of the fourth. With runners on first and second and two outs, 3B Jonathan Meyer singled to left field to score DH J.D. Martinez from third for the early, 1-0, Legends lead. Lexington added single runs in the seventh and eighth innings to push their lead to 3-0, before the 'Dads rally. Down 3-0, heading into the ninth inning, the Crawdads (10-11, 50-41) got a lead-off single by CF Cody Podraza to start the inning. After two fly outs, 2B Travis Adair extended the game by reaching on a fielding error by SS Jiovanni Mier, with Podraza taking second. Jared Bolden then pinch hit for 3B Joe Bonadonna, and raked a double to the wall in left center field, plating Podraza and Adair to bring Hickory to within a run, 3-2. However, RHP Arcenio Leon picked up the final out of the game, stranding Bolden at second to secure the win for Lexington. Crawdads starter RHP Neil Ramirez (7-6, 5.00 ERA) surrendered one run on seven hits and two walks while striking out seven to get saddled with the tough luck loss, while RHP Ovispo De Los Santos allowed two runs (one earned) on two hits and a walk while fanning one in two innings of relief. Legends starter RHP Jose Cisnero (4-5, 4.14 ERA) picked up the win with Leon recording the save.
Sticking with the Crawdads, did you happen to see the Hickory Crawdads commercial featured on ESPN? Hickory Crawdads Field Manager Bill Richardson, Hitting Coach Jason Hart and INF Joe Bonadonna are featured in a commercial currently running on the sports network. The commercial was produced and shot by ESPN at Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park in Charleston, SC earlier in the season, and aired for the first time during the Major League Home Run Derby on Monday evening. In the spot, Richardson plays the third base coach and Hart serves as the first base coach, and the two engage in a strategic battle through signs against Charleston RiverDogs Field Manager Greg Colbrunn. Colbrunn calls for an attempted pick off of Bonadonna, the runner at second base, but Richardson and Hart see it coming and Bonadonna dives back to second safely. Here's the link to the commerical: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2zQf6bxsZo
The Hickory Crawdads road trip didn't get started they way they would have liked on Wednesday night, as they lost to the Lexington Legends 7-4. Lexington jumped out to the early lead against Hickory starter Matt Thompson, scoring on an Edwin Garcia error and on an RBI single by Aaron Bray to give the Legends the quick 2-0 after the first inning. The Legends then added a run in the third inning on a solo blast by J.D. Martinez, and later tacked on three more in the bottom of the fourth frame, extending their advantage over the Crawdads to 6-0. The 'Dads got on the board in the top of the seventh on a solo homer by DH Cody Podraza, his first of the season, to pull to within 6-1. However, Lexington pushed across a run of their own in the bottom half of the seventh to maintain a six-run lead, 7-1. Hickory began to rally in the eighth inning. With runners on first and second with two outs, LF Cristian Santana smacked a two-run double to left center field to drive in RF Jared Prince and Pimentel to cut their deficit to 7-3. The Crawdads (10-10, 50-40) then loaded the bases with one out in the top of the ninth frame. With CF Guillermo Pimentel representing the tying run at the plate, he skied a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring 2B Travis Adair from third, but Legends closer RHP Kirk Clark then induced the final out of the inning, wrapping up the 7-4 Lexington victory. Thompson took the loss for Hickory, allowing six runs (five earned) on eight hits and a walk while striking out four in 3.2 innings, while Lexington starter RHP Juan Minaya (4-8, 5.35 ERA) picked up the win. LF Cristian Santana paced the Hickory offense, driving in two of the Crawdads four runs on an RBI double in the eighth inning.
After winning the last three games against the Greensboro Grasshoppers, the Hickory Crawdads fell in the finale of the five-game series 9-3 on Monday night. The Grasshoppers jumped out in front early with single runs in the first, third, and fourth innings, including a home run by 3B Chase Ausin in the fourth, putting the 'Hoppers ahead 3-0. The Crawdads responded with a run in the bottom of the fourth off Grasshoppers starter RHP Matt Montgomery (6-8, 2.93 ERA) when Zach Zaneski laced a single to center, with the bases loaded and one out, to score RF Jared Prince. The 'Dads then pulled within a run in the bottom of the fifth when 2B Travis Adair led off with a single to right field, stole second, and scored when Prince reached on a ball that went through Austin's legs at third base for an error. Greensboro pulled away though in the top of the seventh inning, scoring five runs in the frame, including three on back-to-back home runs by LF Justin Bass and another by Austin, pulling the Grasshoppers ahead 8-2. The 'Dads notched a run in the bottom of the eighth on an RBI double by C Zach Zaneski, but Greensboro responded with a run of its own in the top of the ninth to account for the 9-3 'Hoppers final score. Crawdads starter RHP Jake Brigham (1-1, 2.00 ERA) allowed three runs on six hits and two walks while fanning one in six innings and was saddled with the loss, while Montgomery picked up the win for Greensboro.
