'Dads Rally for 8-7 Walk-Off Win

Sometimes baseball is impossible to figure out.

That was clearly the case on Tuesday night as the Crawdads squandered a three-run lead in the late innings, only to win in extras by an 8-7 score over the Augusta GreenJackets at LP Frans Stadium.

The opening game of a six-game set between the best two teams in the Carolina League's South Division was not a masterpiece by any stretch, but it underscored this club's ability to win in some pretty dramatic ways.

Down 2-1 in the fourth inning, Sebastian Baquera cleared the bases with a double, giving Hickory a 4-2 lead.

Yolfran Castillo singled home Baquera to stretch the lead to 5-2.

However, Augusta would tie the game with a trio of runs in the eighth, only to reclaim the lead with a solo homer from Juan Mateo that gave the GreenJackets a 6-5 advantage.

An insurance run by Augusta put the Crawdads down 7-5 going to the bottom of the ninth.

In the ninth, Pablo Guerrero lifted a fly ball to right field that got just over the wall, a two-run shot that sent the game to extras, tied at 7-7.

After Ben DeTaeye held Augusta scoreless in the tenth, the Crawdads got a bunt single from Noah Franklin to place runners on the corners with no one out.

A Kolby Branch fly ball was not deep enough to score Kaden Carpenter from third, but Augusta (55-46, 20-15) cut down Franklin, who tried to advance for the second out.

Daniel Flames would be the hero tonight, as the Crawdads' second baseman pushed a single to the left side of the infield, eluding the outstretched glove of shortstop Manuel Campos to plate Carpenter and secure the second bizarre win for Hickory in as many games.

DeTaeye (1-0) picked up the win in relief for Hickory (61-39,27-9) as the club increases their second-half lead to 6.5 games over Augusta and seven over Charleston, who fell to Kannapolis this evening.

Carter Lovasz suffered the tough loss, dropping his record to 1-2 on the season.

Castillo's three hits led the Crawdads' twelve hit attack on the way to their 12th win of their last 15.

Tomorrow, Alejandro Chiquillo climbs the hill for Hickory at 7pm against the GreenJackets.