Crawdads Close Out Season with 6-5 Win
Hickory, NC - The Hickory Crawdads wrapped up their 2013 season in fine fashion Monday afternoon, with a 6-5 win over the Delmarva Shorebirds in front of a Labor Day crowd of 2,992. The win gave the 'Dads a season ending 3-game sweep over Delmarva, brining their season record to 76-63.
The 'Dads had their first canceled game of the year on Sunday but kept up their hot hitting on Tuesday, with six runs on nine hits to bring their 3-game series total to 21 total runs on 35 hits. Joey Gallo was once again the lead bat, going 2-3 in the game with 3 RBI, two walks and two stolen bases. Gallo finished the series going a combined 7-11, with 5 home runs, 9 RBI, 5 runs scored, two walks and two stolen bases.
Both teams struck for a single run in the second inning to tie the game at 1-1, before the 'Dads came through with a pair of tallies in the bottom of the third to take a 3-1 lead. Gallo came through with his first RBI of the game with a single to left in the frame, with Nomar Mazara driving in the other with an RBI sacrifice fly.
Delmarva tightened things up with a run in the fifth to make the score 3-2, but the 'Dads pulled away again with two more runs in the sixth for a 5-2 advantage. Luis Marte brought in the first run with an RBI single to right, followed four batters later by a bases loaded, RBI walk to Gallo to bring in the second tally.
The Shorebirds didn't go down without a fight, as the 'Birds came through for three runs on four hits in the top of the 7th to deadlock the game at 5-5. The Crawdads had on last rally in them however, with Gallo once again coming up large with a 2-out, RBI single to center to give the 'Dads their 6-5 lead.
Reliever Jose Leclerc would shut the door from there, working around a 2-out single to strikeout the side the give the 'Dads a season-ending 6-5 win.
Joining Gallo's big game at the plate was catcher David Lyon, who went 2-4 with his 9th home run of the year. Torres finished the game 2-4 with a double, while Alejandro Selen went 1-2 with a double, a walk and a hit-by-pitch.
Crawdads reliever Andrew Faulkner (6-5) earned the win after tossing three innings and allowing three runs on five hits. Shorebirds reliever Mychael Givens (2-3) took the loss after allowing one run on two hits over two innings pitched. Leclerc (5) picked up the save.
The win gives the Crawdads (37-32) the 3-game sweep over the Shorebirds (24-45) to end the 2013 season.
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