Pineda's Two Homers Key 7-5 Win; Claws Have Won Seven Of Eight

HICKORY, NC - Leandro Pineda hit two homers and drove in four as the BlueClaws opened their series in Hickory with a 7-5 win, their seventh win in their last eight games.

With the win, the BlueClaws get back to .500 at 9-9. This was their first game since Thursday following three straight rain outs over the weekend against Brooklyn at ShoreTown Ballpark. Hickory falls to 10-10 on the season and the Crawdads have dropped four straight.

The BlueClaws jumped out to a first inning lead. Kendall Simmons doubled home Hao Yu Lee for the game's first run before Leandro Pineda hit the first of his two home runs to put the BlueClaws up 3-0. The Crawdads got two runs in the second inning off Gabriel Cotto before Pineda's second home run gave Jersey Shore a 4-2 lead.

After Hickory cut the lead to 4-3, Pineda came through again in the fifth. This time, he doubled home Lee to put the BlueClaws up 5-3. Rixon Wingrove added an RBI single for a 6-3 Jersey Shore lead. Pineda then stole home in tandem with Rixon Wingrove, who stole second, to give the BlueClaws a 7-3 lead.

Pineda's two-home run game give him three home runs on the season and seven in his career. He joins Rixon Wingrove as the second BlueClaw with a two home run game so far this season.

Jordi Martinez came on with two men on base in the eighth but got out of the jam and then threw a scoreless ninth inning for his second save of the year.

BlueClaws starter Gabriel Cotto gave up two runs in three innings. Alex Garbrick (2-0) threw two scoreless innings in relief, adding four strikeouts and earning his second win of the season.

Crawdads starter Josh Stephan (3-1) took the loss, allowing four runs in four innings.

The teams continue their series on Wednesday morning at 11:00 am. RHP Gunner Mayer starts for Jersey Shore.

-Jersey Shore BlueClaws-