'Dads Sweep Shorebirds with 4-0 Shutout

Second shutout win of the series gives Hickory a fifth straight victory

By Aaron Cox

July 23, 2016

Salisbury, MD - The surging Hickory Crawdads stretched their winning streak to a season-best five games with another victory Friday night, as the Crawdads shutout the Delmarva Shorebirds 4-0 to complete a three game sweep of their Northern Division rivals at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.

Erik Swanson, Jason Richman, and Omarlin Lopez combined to throw the Crawdads' second shutout of the series, as the Hickory pitching staff left Delmarva with only three runs allowed over 27 total innings pitched. The Crawdads offense also reached double digit hits for the second time in the series, with the 'Dads bats out-hitting Delmarva 30-18 en route to out-scoring their hosts 13-3.

Hickory got on the board in the top of the second, when Tyler Sanchez lined a one out, solo home run to left for a 1-0 score. The Crawdads' lead doubled to 2-0 in the fourth, as Eduard Pinto singled to center, Dylan Moore doubled down the right field line, and Pinto came home to score on a throwing error by Shorebirds' right fielder Natanael Delgado.

The fifth inning saw that 'Dads score another run on singles by Jose Almonte and Chuck Moorman prior to an infield, RBI base knock by Frandy De La Rosa for a 3-0 Hickory advantage. The Crawdads then capped off the scoring with one last tally in the eighth, with infield hits by both De La Rosa and Moore setting the stage for an RBI sacrifice fly from Sanchez for the final 4-0 advantage the 'Dads would win by.

Sanchez finished the game 1-1 with his seventh home run of the season to go along with two RBI, a walk, and a hit-by-pitch to lead the 'Dads bats. Moore ended the night 2-3 with a double, a walk, and a stolen base, while De La Rosa went 2-4 with an RBI, a walk, and a run scored.

Swanson (6-4) earned the win for the Crawdads after tying a career-high with eight strikeouts over 5.2 scoreless innings pitched, while both Richman (2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 K) and Lopez (1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 K) kept the Shorebirds off the scoreboard as well to preserve the shutout.

Delmarva starter Cristian Alvarado (7-7) took the loss after allowing three runs, two earned, on six hits and six strikeouts over his five innings on the mound.

The Crawdads (15-13/53-45) will now head to Lakewood, NJ to start a four-game series against the BlueClaws, with first pitch Saturday night scheduled for 7:05 pm.

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