Errors Plague Howlers in Education Day Loss

The Hill City Howlers fumbled away their Wednesday matinee against the Hickory Crawdads, 8-5.

Hill City racked up five errors throughout the morning and afternoon, as the Crawdads capitalized to bury the Howlers. Robert Arias and Luis De La Cruz accounted for two errors apiece in the loss.

Anthony Martinez continued to be problematic for the Hickory Crawdads. After a three-hit night yesterday, Martinez pulled a fastball down the right field line for a home run that wrapped just inside the foul pole. For Martinez, it was his second homer of the series and fourth of the season.

Nelson Keljo pitched well across his 3.2 IP. His final line included five strikeouts, no walks, while not allowing a run.

The Crawdads began to find success in the fifth after Juan Sulburan and Paulino Santana reached base with only one out. Yolfran Castillo cleared the bases with an extra-base hit in the right-center gap, giving Hickory the 2-1 lead.

The lead did not last long as the Howlers responded in the bottom of the fifth. Jose Pirela came home on a sacrifice fly from Dauri Fernandez, knotting the game at 2-2.

Hickory struck again in the sixth inning as Esteban Mejia deposited a two-run blast over the left field wall to retake the lead.

The game spiraled in the eighth inning as a pair of errors resulted in a four-run frame for the Crawdads. After a leadoff homer run from Deward Tovar, the next five ‘Dads all reached, and a two-base error by Arias in center allowed the bases to clear to put Hickory up 8-2.

The Howlers attempted to mount a comeback in the ninth inning as Luis De La Cruz doubled home a run early in the frame. Robert Arias drove home two more with a two-run single later in the frame, but it was too little, too late, as the Crawdads shut the door.

The Howlers and Crawdads will square off again on Thursday evening with first pitch at City Stadium scheduled for 6:30 p.m.