Down on the scoreboard and without their starting shortstop and manager, the Hickory Crawdads rallied to defeat the Kannapolis Intimidators 4-2 Wednesday night at Atrium Health Ballpark.
The teams have now split the first two games of the series.
The starting pitchers held the opposing teams in check as Wednesday’s game went scoreless into the bottom of the sixth inning. Grant Umbarger of Kannapolis (36-41 overall, 4-7 second half) sailed through six innings, allowing three hits and two walks while striking out five. Crawdads starter Enrique Segura struck out six over five innings, allowing four hits and a walk.
The Crawdads (41-35, 8-3) played much of the contest without shortstop Devin Fitz-Gerald. Currently a Texas Rangers organization top 30 major league prospect, Fitz-Gerald made a diving stop of a ground ball in the second inning, injuring his left shoulder. He left the game after getting checked out by the trainer.
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Kannapolis took the lead in the bottom of the sixth against reliever Kai-Noa Wynyard. Lyle Miller-Green and Ronny Hernandez started the inning with back-to-back singles to put runners at the corner. One out later, the pair pulled off a double steal with Miller-Green scoring the run.
Crawdads manager Carlos Maldonado argued the tag by catcher Ben Hartl was in time and was eventually ejected by home plate umpire Bryce Bobeldyke.
Hickory rebounded in the seventh against Umbarger’s replacement, Hale Sims. Pablo Guerrero and Erick Alvarez singled to start the rally. Marcos Torres doubled in Guerrero to tie the game, which also put runners at second and third. The go-ahead runs came on a sacrifice fly by Antonis Macias. Abraham Nunez made the play in center but the throw to third got away from him, allowing Torres to score.
Yeremy Cabrera’s fourth homer of the season in the eighth put the Crawdads up 4-1. Wynard finished up the eighth to pick up the win (6-1). Jesus Gamez struck out two during a perfect ninth to earn his third save of the season.
Kannapolis 7, Hickory 2, Tuesday
It took time for the Intimidators lineup to figure out Hickory starter Ismael Agreda on Tuesday. But once they did, the Intimidators took over the game and went on to a 7-2 win.
The Crawdads got out of the gate quickly. Pablo Guerrero smacked a two-run homer in the second, and Agreda retired the first eight hitters he faced. However, he couldn’t find the ninth out and left with two outs in third after Kannapolis put four straight on base and scored three times.
From that point, the Crawdads had just one more hit over the final six innings of the game.
Kannapolis reliever Liam Paddack took over for starter Seth Keener and wound up with the scorer’s decision win (1-3) after pitching 2.1 scoreless innings. Carlton Perkins finished off the final two outs of the seventh, then turned it over to Jonathan Clark, who ended the contest with two scoreless innings for his fourth save of the season.
