'Dads Mash Way to Memorial Day Win
Hickory, NC - The Hickory Crawdads returned home Monday night and brought their resurgent offense with them, as the 'Dads clubbed a season-high 16 hits to propel them to a 10-3, Memorial Day win over the Delmarva Shorebirds at L.P. Frans Stadium.
The victory marked the third straight game for the Crawdads with at least 10 hits and 8 or more runs. Three of the 'Dads hits left the yard, with Jose Cardona, Travis Demeritte, and Marcus Greene all hitting home runs to tie the 'Dads season high in that category as well. All the offense nearly overshadowed another solid pitching performance by the Hickory hurlers, led by starter Ariel Jurado who improved to a perfect 7-0 after tossing six shutout innings with 6 strikeouts.
The Crawdads plated their first two runs of the night in the 3rd inning, with Cardona leading off the frame with a solo homer to left. Luke Tendler drew a walk one out later and eventually scored on a throwing error by Delmarva shortstop Guillermo Salas for a 2-0 Hickory lead.
The advantage swelled to 5-0 in the 5th when the 'Dads scored three more runs, all unearned, on two hits and two more Shorebirds errors. Both miscues came from Delmarva second baseman Ronarsy Ledesma, who dropped two potential double play balls to open the door for the Crawdads. Rock Shoulders took advantage with an RBI sacrifice fly to drive in his first run of the season before Greene lined an RBI double.
Hickory blew the game open with four more runs on five hits in the 6th for a 9-0 lead. Jose Trevino and Eduard Pinto led off the frame with consecutive singles, followed by a 3-run long ball from Demeritte. One out later, Greene went deep with a big fly of his own.
The Shorebirds got on the board with a 2-out, 3-run homer by Conor Bierfeldt in the 8th, before the 'Dads plated the final run of the night in the bottom of the frame with an RBI fielder's choice groundout by Shoulders for the 10-3 score.
Jurado earned the win for Hickory while Delmarva starter Matthew Grimes (3-2) took the loss after allowing five runs, one earned, on nine hits over five innings pitched.
Cardona led the Crawdads offense with a 4-5 game including a home run and a double. Demeritte finished 3-5 with a homer, 3 RBI, and two runs scored, while Pinto went 3-5 with a run scored.
The win makes the Crawdads (30-14) the first team in the South Atlantic League to reach 30 wins. The 'Dads will face off again with the Shorebirds (22-22) in game two of the three-game series Tuesday night at 6:00 pm.
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