COLUMBIA, S.C. (July 16, 2017) - Blake Hickman tossed 6.0 scoreless innings to pitch the Intimidators to their second straight win over the Fireflies, 3-0, on Sunday evening at Spirit Communications Park. Kannapolis (10-14 Second Half, 49-43) will play for a sweep in Monday's series finale. Hickman (2-4) limited the Fireflies
COLUMBIA, S.C. (July 16, 2017) - Blake Hickman tossed 6.0 scoreless innings to pitch the Intimidators to their second straight win over the Fireflies, 3-0, on Sunday evening at Spirit Communications Park. Kannapolis (10-14 Second Half, 49-43) will play for a sweep in Monday's series finale.
Hickman (2-4) limited the Fireflies to three hits and three walks while tossing 6.0 shutout innings, the first scoreless outing of his career, to earn the win. Relievers Danny Dopico and Mick VanVossen combined to work the final 3.0 innings of scoreless work with VanVossen notching the save (1).
The shutout is the second for Kannapolis this season and first that lasted nine innings. The Intimidators previously shutout the Hagerstown Suns on the road on April 26 in the first game of a doubleheader.
Antonio Rodriguez put the Intimidators on the board in the second with an RBI-single to cash Jake Burger for a 1-0 lead.
Kannapolis added two more in the seventh. Micker Adolfo led off with a walk and moved to second base on Luis Gonzalez's one-outsingle that chased Fireflies reliever Taylor Henry from the game. Daniel Gonzalez welcomed new Columbia pitcher Adam Atkins to the game with a line drive to left field to load the bases. Two batters later, J.J. Franco singled to right field, scoring Adolfo and Gonzalez for a 3-0 lead.
Columbia starting pitcher Gary Cornish (1-3) worked 5 and 2/3 innings, allowing a run on four hits while striking out four and walking two in a losing effort. Henry worked two-thirds of an inning in relief, allowing two runs on a hit and a walk.
The Intimidators wrap up this road swing through the Palmetto State with the series finale against the Fireflies on Monday at 7:05 p.m. at Spirit Communications Park. Kannapolis is slated to send RHP Dylan Cease (0-0, 0.00 ERA) to the mound for his White Sox organization debut against Columbia's RHP Harol Gonzalez (5-7, 4.43 ERA). The team returns to Kannapolis on Wednesday for a 7-game home stand that features Star Wars Night with post-game fireworks on Saturday, July 22. Tickets are available by calling the F&M Bank Box Office at 704-932-3267 or by visiting IntimidatorsBaseball.com.
