’Dads cool off to start July, still tied for first place

The Hickory Crawdads have cooled off since winning nine of 10 games to end June and start the second half of the Single-A Carolina League season, though they remained tied for the South Division lead through Wednesday.

Hickory had lost four of its last seven games entering Thursday’s third of six scheduled road contests against the Augusta (Ga.) GreenJackets.

This weekend provides the finish to a critical series as the two teams entered play Thursday at 12-5 and tied for the division lead after both finishing two games behind the first-half champion Charleston (S.C.) RiverDogs.

The ’Dads finished off last week’s series by winning three of their last five games in Myrtle Beach, S.C., against the Pelicans, and after wrapping up play in Augusta, will be idle for the league’s four-day All-Star break.

Hickory then resumes play at L.P. Frans Stadium on July 17 to host the Wilson Warbirds for three games. The first two contests in the series both begin at 7 p.m. and feature postgame fireworks.

Here’s more information from the games that the Crawdads played between July 1-8 …

WEDNESDAY, JULY 1

Hickory 6, Myrtle Beach 2

The Crawdads scored all six runs in the first three innings and kept the hosts off the scoreboard until the bottom of the ninth as starting pitcher Moises Morales (5 IP, 2 H, BB, 5 K) shined in earning his sixth win of the season.

He combined with three relievers to scatter five hits and strike out 11 Pelicans’ batters.

Hickory outfielder Braylin Morel hit his second home run of the season in the second inning, driving in two runs. Fellow outfielders Marco Argudin and Paulino Santana also notched a hit, scored a run, and drove in a run each, and third baseman Angel Arredondo doubled and scored a run.

THURSDAY, JULY 2

Myrtle Beach 5, Hickory 2

Hickory grabbed a 2-1 lead in the fourth inning that lasted until the Pelicans hung a pair of runs in the sixth and added two insurance runs in the eighth.

Second baseman Luis Marquez and first baseman Curley Martha (double, walk, RBI) tallied two hits apiece, but the ’Dads managed just one other hit as a team, with five total in the setback. Arredondo walked twice, stole a base, and scored a run.

Hickory led when Jesus Lafalaise (4 1/3 IP, 3 H, ER, 4 K) left the mound, as Geury Rodriguez took the loss after he and fellow reliever Michael Trausch allowed two earned runs each.

FRIDAY, JULY 3

Myrtle Beach 4, Hickory 2

The ’Dads dropped a second straight as they never led in game four of the series, falling behind 4-0 before scratching out single runs in both the top of the sixth and ninth innings.

Right fielder Deward Tovar (walk, run) and second baseman Daniel Flames co-led Hickory with two hits each while pinch hitter Marcos Torres doubled and scored a run and shortstop Yolfran Castillo reached via a single and a walk. Castillo stole two bases to give him 34 for the season, while Torres added one swipe and is right on his heels with 33 stolen bases in 2026.

Crawdads starter Daniel Keaney (4 1/3 IP, 4 ER) took the loss.

SATURDAY, JULY 4

Hickory 7, Myrtle Beach 4

The Crawdads broke free to score two runs each in the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings, declaring their independence from a brief skid on the nation’s 250th birthday.

Hickory took advantage of three late Pelicans’ errors as five different Crawdads had a hit each, five players dove in a run each, and six players scored at least one run, led by Argudin’s two.

Santana walked twice, Torres doubled, Castillo nabbed his 35th stolen base, and catcher Sebastian Baquera scored the go-ahead run in the victory.

Reliever Jormy Nivar improved his record to 4-0 with the win after he pitched four scoreless innings to close the contest, allowing four hits and two walks while striking out three.

SUNDAY, JULY 5

Hickory 3, Myrtle Beach 2

The Crawdads carried over the previous night’s momentum, plating two runs in the second and one in the third, which proved to be just enough for a second straight win.

Hickory’s Evan Siary (4 IP, 2 H, BB, 5 K) pitched well in the start but did not last long enough to earn the decision, which instead went to J.D. McReynolds (IP, ER, 2 K), who claimed a fifth win this season before Trausch and Wily Villar got holds and Louis Marinaro struck out a pair in the ninth to collect his seventh save.

Torres doubled, drove in a run, and scored a run, and Arredondo walked twice and scored a run.

TUESDAY, JULY 7

Augusta 6, Hickory 3

The ’Dads led this week’s series opener early but allowed multiple runs in the second, third, and sixth en route to the loss as the first three pitchers the guests used each failed to go three innings and yielded two earned runs apiece.

Argudin was a perfect 3 for 3 at the plate and walked twice as well, and Flames finished 2 for 3 with two RBIs and one run.

Arredondo and Torres (run) both walked twice and singled, with Castillo (double, walk) and Torres each stealing a base and Tovar adding a double.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 8

Augusta 8, Hickory 7

Both teams scored three runs in the first inning, and Hickory pulled out to a 5-4 lead that evaporated for good as it allowed four runs in the sixth to drop a second straight.

Arredondo stayed hot with a 3-for-4 effort that included a double, walk, two RBIs, and one run, and first baseman Pablo Guerrero (2 for 4, two walks, run) reached base four times as well.

Santana (two RBIs) and Baquera (three hits) both homered for Hickory, with Flames and Castillo adding two hits apiece. Castillo (37) and Torres (35) each stole bases again.

Morales (4 1/3 IP, 3 ER) and Villar (1 1/3 IP, 5 ER) struggled from the mound to start the game for the guests, who scored twice in the eighth as their comeback bid fell just short.