League-leading Crawdads split trio of doubleheaders

Back-to-back rainouts on July 22 and 23 followed by another one this past Tuesday forced the Hickory Crawdads to play three seven-inning doubleheaders in the span of six days, with the Single-A Carolina League leaders splitting each of the twin bills.

Hickory also added a 10-inning victory in the only single game it played between July 24-29, and the Crawdads entered Thursday’s late road game against the Delmarva (Md.) Shorebirds with an overall record of 56-39 and a second-half mark of 22-9.

No other team had lost fewer than 14 games in the second half at press time, with the Crawdads holding a 4 1/2-game lead over both the Augusta (Ga.) GreenJackets and the Charleston (S.C.) RiverDogs for first place in the South Division.

Here’s a look at how the Crawdads — who also faced the Shorebirds on Friday before battling them again tonight (Saturday, Aug. 1) at 7:05 p.m. and Sunday at 5:05 p.m., prior to the start of a six-game home series against Augusta that begins with a 7 p.m. contest on Aug. 4 at L.P. Frans Stadium — fared in recent contests …

FRIDAY, JULY 24

Myrtle Beach 2, Hickory 1 (eight innings); Hickory 2, Myrtle Beach 1

Runs were at a premium against the visiting Pelicans, with all of the scoring coming in extra innings in Game 1.

Neither team managed an extra-base hit in the contest, with the Crawdads getting a single apiece from Yolfran Castillo (run), Pablo Guerrero (SB), Jay McQueen, Paulino Santana, and Curley Martha. Hickory also received strong pitching, particularly from starter Mason McConnaughey (4 IP, H, K).

In the nightcap, Hickory scored the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth and ultimately outhit its foes from South Carolina 7-5 behind singles from McQueen (RBI), Castillo (run, SB), Guerrero (run), Santana, Daniel Flames, Luis Marquez, and Juan Sulbaran. Meanwhile, Louis Marinaro (5-2) was the winning pitcher thanks to two innings of scoreless, two-hit relief during which he had three strikeouts and one walk.

SATURDAY, JULY 25

Hickory 4, Myrtle Beach 3 (10 innings)

The Crawdads outlasted the Pelicans in another extra-inning thriller when Martha scored on a throwing error with one out in the 10th to lift the hosts to a walk-off win.

Hickory pounded out 10 hits, receiving a double and three singles from Santana (RBI) to go with a double and two singles from Marco Argudin (RBI), a solo home run from Castillo (two runs), and singles from McQueen (run) and Sebastian Baquera. Furthermore, four Hickory relievers combined for 17 strikeouts as Wily Villar (4-3) ultimately earned the win following an inning of two-hit ball during which he allowed an unearned run with two strikeouts and no walks.

Jake Jekielek (2 IP, ER, H, 3 K), Jesus Lafalaise (4 2/3 IP, 2 H, HBP, 9 K), and Geury Rodriguez (1 1/3 IP, 2 BB, 3 K) were the first three relievers used by the Crawdads, while Alejandro Chiquillo (IP, ER, H, 2 BB) pitched the opening inning.

SUNDAY, JULY 26

Myrtle Beach 4, Hickory 1; Hickory 9, Myrtle Beach 2

After being limited to four hits — two on singles from Baquera, one on a solo homer from Angel Arredondo, and one on a single from Santana — in Game 1, the Crawdads finished with eight hits in the nightcap.

The Pelicans also struggled defensively, committing five errors to aid Hickory’s cause. Meanwhile, the Crawdads got a double and a single from Deward Tovar (two RBIs, run) as well as a double apiece from Argudin (RBI, two runs) and Sulbaran (run), and a single each from Guerrero (run, team-high three walks), Martha (run, SB), Arredondo (run), and Marquez.

Reliever Michael Trausch (IP, H, BB, K) earned the win for Hickory to improve to 6-3 on the season.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 29

Hickory 10, Delmarva 1; Delmarva 4, Hickory 1

Following an off day on Monday and a rainout on Tuesday, the Crawdads played another doubleheader on Wednesday, with Hickory scoring six runs against the Shorebirds’ starter in the opener and chasing him from the game before he could record an out in the top of the first.

Santana (solo homer, double, single, RBI, three runs) led Hickory with three hits, while Arredondo (double, single, three RBIs, run) and Castillo (two singles, run) each had two. The Crawdads also received singles from Guerrero (two RBIs, run), Marquez (two RBIs, run), Argudin (RBI, two runs), and Baquera (run).

In addition, four Hickory pitchers combined on a one-hitter, with Chiquillo (3 IP, H, 6 K), Julius Sanchez (2 IP, 3 K) — who notched his first win with the Crawdads in his second appearance with the club — Ben DeTaeye (IP, 2 K), and Frank Martinez (IP, ER, BB, K) all seeing time on the mound.

Delmarva then turned the tables on the Crawdads in Game 2, holding them to just one hit on an RBI double from Santana that scored Castillo in the opening frame.