Crawdads clinch SAL North crown

Kristopher Watts drove in six runs Friday as the Hickory Crawdads completed a doubleheader sweep and clinched the South Atlantic League second-half Northern Division title with a 14-4 rout of the Asheville Tourists.

After grounding out in the second inning, Watts lined a two-run double in the third and blasted a grand slam in the sixth. The six RBIs were a career high for the 23-year-old catcher, who also belted a grand slam on July 5.

The Crawdads (40-26) have made it to the postseason for the first time since winning the championship in 2004.

Jim Negrych stroked an RBI single in the second and a two-run base hit in the fifth for Hickory, which took the completion of Thursday's suspended game, 6-5. Jonel Pacheco went 3-for-3 with three runs scored and two RBIs.

Reliever Eric Krebs (2-2) gave up a hit and two walks with two strikeouts over 1 1/3 innings as the Crawdads won their fourth straight. Starter Rafael De Los Santos yielded three runs on five hits and five walks while fanning four over four frames.

Matt Repec clubbed a solo homer, his third in two games and 10th of the season, in the seventh and Victor Ferrante went 3-for-3 with two RBIs for the Tourists (36-30), who have dropped four in a row.

Asheville starter Esmil Rogers (7-4) surrendered six runs on 11 hits and two walks over 3 1/3 frames.