Crawdads use long ball, strong pitching to remain hot

No team in the Single-A Carolina League has won more games than the Hickory Crawdads in 2026.

Entering Thursday’s late road contest against the Wilson Warbirds — which preceded additional matchups between the clubs on Friday, tonight (Saturday, Aug. 29) at 7:05 p.m., and Sunday at 1:05 p.m. — Hickory was 73-47 on the year and 39-17 since the second half of the season began on June 19.

Although they lost to the Warbirds by a 12-4 final in the opener of a doubleheader on Tuesday, that game was suspended from July 19 due to rain, so the Crawdads had officially earned six straight wins through Wednesday’s 8-3 victory at Wilson. They also won by an 8-5 score in Tuesday’s nightcap after previously earning home victories of 7-4, 3-0, 7-2, and 4-2 over the Delmarva (Md.) Shorebirds from Aug. 20-23.

Thanks to their latest winning streak, the Crawdads at press time were seven games ahead of the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers for first place in the South Division. And with just six more regular-season games left to play after this weekend — which are scheduled for Sept. 1-6 versus the Fayetteville Woodpeckers at Hickory’s L.P. Frans Stadium — Hickory is currently in the driver’s seat when it comes to winning a second-half division title and qualifying for the Carolina League playoffs.

Notably, Hickory has homered in four of the aforementioned six wins, highlighted by three homers in its 7-4 win over the Shorebirds on Aug. 20. Josh Springer hit a two-run home run that night, while Paulino Santana and Pablo Guerrero added back-to-back solo shots.

Two nights later, Deward Tovar hit a three-run homer, while Marco Argudin provided a three-run blast of his own on Aug. 23 before adding a two-run homer on Wednesday. Yolfran Castillo also homered in the Crawdads’ midweek game, clubbing a two-run shot as part of a five-run outburst in the top of the ninth inning.

Finally, the following six pitchers earned wins, in order, for the Crawdads during their most recent hot streak: Evan Siary (6-3; 7 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 3 K), Moises Morales (9-2; 6 IP, 5 H, 4 K), Brandon Jaenke (1-0; 2 IP, 2 H, BB, K), Jesus Lafalaise (2-5; 5 IP, ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 6 K), Louis Marinaro (7-2; 2 IP, 2 K), and Will Whelan (1-0; 2 IP, H, 2 K).