5/12/12

Crawdads squish Sand Gnats with 3-1 win

HICKORY, NC - The Hickory Crawdads evened the series with a 3-1 victory against the Savannah Sand Gnats, before 1,845 fans at L.P. Frans Stadium on Friday night. After splitting the first two games of the current set, the 'Dads are now 5-1 against Savannah this season.

The Sand Gnats (21-13) struck first in the first frame, before LHP Victor Payano (W, 3-1) shut them down. After DH T.J. Rivera hit a solo homer in the top of the first to give Savannah the early lead, Payano allowed just two more hits and no more runs through the remainder of his start. The southpaw finished with six strikeouts through seven innings, surrendering just the one run on three hits for the win.

After RHP Tyler Pill (L, 3-2) kept the 'Dads (19-13) in check through the first four frames, Hickory's offense broke through in the bottom of the fifth. DH Kevin Torres led off with a single and moved to second one out later on a 1B Trever Adams base hit. After Pill dealt a strikeout, 2B Rougned Odor ripped a two-out, two-run double to right-center field, scoring Torres and Adams for the 2-1 lead.
The Crawdads plated an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth against RHP Jared West. Odor worked a walk to start the inning and quickly moved to second on a bunt single by SS Hanser Alberto. After a sacrifice bunt by LF Jeremy Williams advanced both runners, 3B Drew Robinson knocked an RBI grounder to first base, enabling Odor to come racing home.

LHP Chris Hanna (S, 1), who worked a scoreless eighth, navigated through the top of the ninth as well, closing the 3-1 win for the Crawdads.

From Hickory press release

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