Hot Bats Prevail in Heated Win for 'Dads

Rome, GA - One night after the Hickory Crawdads lost a big lead to the Rome Braves the hot hitting 'Dads bats flipped the script Sunday afternoon, as Hickory overcame an early 5-0 deficit with 8 unanswered runs for an 8-5 win and a corresponding series win over the Braves at State Mutual Stadium.

Rome quickly jumped ahead in the game with one run in the 1^st inning and 2 tallies in both the 2^nd and 3^rd for a 5-0 score. Crawdads starting pitcher Peter Fairbanks settled in from there however and the Hickory hitters began to cut down the deficit with one run in the 4^th and 2 more in the 6^th to make the score 5-3. The 'Dads completed their comeback in the 7^th when Eduard Pinto clubbed a game tying, 2-run home run to right that also led to a benches clearing argument that saw both Pinto and Braves' first baseman Carlos Castro get ejected. Two innings later, the Crawdads brought home 3 runs in the 9^th to come away with an 8-5 Hickory victory.

The wild comeback not only gave the 'Dads the victory but also a 3-1 series win over the Braves. The Crawdads concluded their 2-city, all-Georgia road trip with a pair of series wins and a 5-2 record, with the Hickory hitters scoring 42 total runs on 61 combined hits over the trip's final 5 games.

The start of the contest began ominously for the Crawdads, as Fairbanks hit Rome leadoff batter Ray-Patrick Didder on the first pitch in the bottom of the 1^st. Alejandro Salazar followed with a bunt single to move Didder to scoring position, where the runner would come home to score one out later when 'Dads shortstop Yeyson Yrizarri overthrew to first for an error and a 1-0 Braves lead.

Rome pushed their lead to 3-0 in the 2^nd when Justin Ellison singled, Darien McLemore drove him home on an RBI double, and McLemore himself scored following two wild pitches by Fairbanks. The Braves then maxed out their advantage in the 3^rd, with an RBI sacrifice fly by Austin Riley and an infield, RBI single from Ellison pushing the score to 5-0.

Momentum began to shift in Hickory's favor from there however, as Fairbanks settled in with scoreless innings in the 4^th, 5^th, and 6^th to keep the Crawdads in the game. The 'Dads offense got on the board in the 4^th, with a single from Pinto and a 2-out, RBI base knock by Yrizarri cutting the score to 5-1. Yrizarri came through again for the Crawdads in the 5^th, this time with a 2-run homer to left that sliced the deficit to 5-3.

The game reached its tipping point in the 7^th, when Pinto connected on a 2-run homer to right off of rehabbing major leaguer Eric O'Flaherty to tie the game at 5-5. The Braves took exception to the blast and the two teams began yelling at each other as Pinto rounded the bases. The clubs would eventually spill out of the dugouts in a benches-clearing argument that also saw the bullpens run down to the infield to join the scrum. By the time the field was cleared, the umpires ejected both Pinto and Castro.

The tie score would hold until the top of the 9^th, when the 'Dads took their first lead of the day with 3 runs on 4 hits for an 8-5 score. Frandy De La Rosa and Dylan Moore started the rally with a pair of singles and stolen bases, before Tyler Sanchez delivered a 2-RBI single to left. Yrizarri followed with his fourth RBI of the game on a base knock to left for the 8-5 score the Crawdads would win by.

Yrizarri finished the game 3-5 with his 5^th home run of the year and a season-best 4 RBI. Pinto stretched his hit streak to 8 straight games with a 2-4 contest including a homer, 2 RBI, and 2 runs scored, while Sanchez went 2-5 with 2 RBI and one run scored.

Hickory reliever Omarlin Lopez (5-3) earned the win with 2 scoreless innings of work, while fellow bullpen arm Joe Palumbo (7) recorded the save with a perfect 9^th inning. Rome reliever Josh Graham (1-1) took the loss after giving up 3 runs on 4 hits, 1 walk, and 1 strikeout over 1.1 IP.

The Crawdads (9-9/47-41) will now have an off day on Monday before beginning a weeklong homestand on Tuesday, July 12^th. First pitch Tuesday night against the visiting Lakewood Blue Claws is scheduled for 7:00 pm at L.P. Frans Stadium.

 

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