The Hickory Crawdads held the Intimidators to three runs in four games, including just one run in Thursday night's double header to complete the four-game sweep at LP Frans Stadium.Game 1The first few innings proved to be a pitcher's duel between Kannapolis' Spencer Moran and Hickory's A.J. Alexy, as Moran
The Hickory Crawdads held the Intimidators to three runs in four games, including just one run in Thursday night's double header to complete the four-game sweep at LP Frans Stadium.
Game 1
The first few innings proved to be a pitcher's duel between Kannapolis' Spencer Moran and Hickory's A.J. Alexy, as Moran allowed just one hit through the first four innings, while Alexy struck out six batters through the four frames.
In the fifth, the Intimidators manufactured their first run after a leadoff single from Carlos Perez, followed by a walk to Michael Hickman to put runners at first and second with no outs. Next up, Ramon Beltre placed a perfect sacrifice bunt to safely send both runners to second and third base with one out. Searching for their first run, Johan Cruz whacked a pitch into left-center field that proved deep enough to score Perez from third base, giving the I's a 1-0 lead.
In the bottom-half of the inning, the 'Dads finally got through to Moran with a pair of singles from Yonny Hernandez and Ryan Dorow, followed by a walk surrendered by William Kincanon, who got the call out of the bullpen to replace Moran (L, 1-2). After the walk to Tyreque Reed to load the bases, Preston Scott reached on an infield single to Tate Blackman at third base, tying the game, 1-1.
Next up, Pedro Gonzalez scored Dorow from third on the second-straight infield single to Blackman, giving Hickory a 2-1 advantage. To put the icing on the cake in the inning, Yohel Pozo brought in Reed on a sacrifice fly with a ball hit to left field, giving Alexy a two-run cushion, up 3-1.
In the sixth, Craig Dedelow connected on his tenth homer of the season to right-center field, cutting the lead to one run and knocking Alexy out of the ballgame. After Joe Barlow (S, 6) got Blackman to strike out to end the threat in the sixth, the 'Dads added on an insurance run in the bottom-half of the inning thanks to a Dorow double into left-center, giving Hickory a 4-2 win.
Game 2
In the fourth and final game of the series in Hickory, the Crawdads jumped on the board early against Jhoan Quijada (L, 1-4), as Scott reached on a single with one out. Next up, Justin Jacobs smacked a double into left-center that one hopped the wall, scoring Scott for the first and only run of the game.
After the second inning run, Quijada settled in to throw five innings of two-hit ball, including five strikeouts on just 58 pitches. But, his opponent, Eubanks, won the pitcher's dual with six innings of three-hit baseball, striking out six batters along the way, giving up no runs.
The Intimidators best chance to score came in the third inning against the right-handed pitcher, as Hickman and Ramon Beltre both reached on singles to lead off the inning. But, an Evan Skoug 4-6-3 double play ended the threat in the inning, with no chances coming after that for Kannapolis.
The Intimidators will head to Lexington to take on the Legends for a three-game series starting Friday night at 7:05 p.m.
