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Crawdads Win Fourth Straight

Hickory Crawdads 7, Greensboro Grasshoppers 2
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RF Austin McClune and DH Erik Huber led the Crawdads’ charge with a single and a double each, and McClune had 2 RBI while Huber added one more. LF Keanon Simon and 3B Bobby Spain also had two hits and an RBI apiece. The Crawdads’ first run came in the 4th inning, when McClune and Huber both hit their doubles, with Huber’s bringing McClune home. They added 3 more runs in the next inning, on a rally that began with four consecutive singles, by Simon, Spain, 2B Victor Alvarez, and SS Jose De Los Santos and was aided by a throwing error by the Greensboro centerfielder and an RBI ground out by McClune.

Greensboro had scored one run (unearned) in the first inning on a walk, a throwing error, and a double. They added another run in the 5th inning, with another walk and a double, this time without the help of a Hickory error. Those were the only runs that Crawdads’ starter Rafael Delossantos allowed in his 5 innings of work. He gave up 5 hits and struck out 7 Grasshopper batters in getting the win. Carlos Amaro pitched 3 shutout innings of relief, giving up 3 hits and striking out one batter. Matt McSwain pitched one perfect inning in the 9th to finish the game.

The Crawdads added two more insurance runs in the 6th inning, on singles by Huber, CF Marcus Davis, and Simon, and an intentional walk to Spain. Alvarez’s RBI ground out plated the second run. Spain added one more in the 9th inning, when he singled, advanced to second and then to third on two ground outs, and scored on McClune’s RBI single.

Trenton Thunder 3, Altoona Curve 2
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The Curve got on the scoreboard first, but could not hold the lead as they lost their 4th out of 5 games. DH Anthony Webster led off the 3rd inning by reaching safely on an infield error. 3B Jason Bowers followed with a single, and C Miguel Perez moved the runners to second and third bases with a sacrifice bunt. CF James Boone’s sacrifice fly scored Webster, and 2B Melvin Dorta brought Bowers home with an RBI single. That was all the scoring that the Curve would do for the night. RF Brad Corley and had two hits, including a double, and Bowers also had two singles. The Curve had a total of 9 hits, but once on base, they could not get the runners moved over and home.

Curve starter Josh Hill took the loss in his first appearance as a Pirates’ farmhand. He pitched 5 innings, with 6 hits, 3 walks, and 3 strikeouts. He had allowed 2 walks and 2 hits in his first 4 innings of work, each time either leaving a runner stranded, or picking off a baserunner, or getting another batter to ground into a double play. He only got into serious trouble in the 5th inning, though that turned out to be enough to lose the game. Trenton’s Cody Ehlers led off the inning with a solo homer, then Hill gave up a doubled, a RBI single to tie the score, and a walk to the next three batters. A sacrifice bunt moved the baserunners to second and third bases, and a ground out pushed the go-ahead run across.

Dave Davidson pitched 2 scoreless innings in relief, allowing 2 hits and striking out 2 batters. Patrick Bresnehan added 2 perfect innings to finish it up for the Curve, and he struck out 3 batters.

Lynchburg
The Lynchburg Hillcats had a scheduled day off.

NOTES:
Roster moves —
The Curve have placed OF Pedro Powell on the Disabled List.
They have also signed IF Brian Finegan to a minor league contract.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 8th, 2008 at 10:33 am and is filed under James Boone, Patrick Bresnehan, Austin McClune, Josh Hill, Miguel Perez, Jason Bowers, Anthony Webster, Erik Huber, Keanon Simon, A - Hickory Crawdads, A - Lynchburg Hillcats, AA - Altoona Curve, Pittsburgh Pirates Prospects, Dave Davidson, Marcus Davis, Bobby Spain, Pittsburgh Pirates Minor-League Affiliates. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.