Michael Crotta allowed just one run over 6 2/3 innings and the BlueClaws left 11 runners on base as Hickory picked up a 3-1 win over Lakewood in front of 7,953 on Saturday night.
With the win, the Crawdads (34-21) improve to six games over the BlueClaws (27-26). The clubs have split the first two games of the four game series.
Michael Crotta allowed just one run over 6 2/3 innings and the BlueClaws left 11 runners on base as Hickory picked up a 3-1 win over Lakewood in front of 7,953 on Saturday night.
With the win, the Crawdads (34-21) improve to six games over the BlueClaws (27-26). The clubs have split the first two games of the four game series.
Crotta (10-5) allowed one run on nine hits and in the process won his 8th straight decision.
Alex Presley led off the 4th and 6th innings with doubles and was driven in by Jonel Pacheco and Jim Negrych to give the Crawdads a 2-0 lead.
Crotta got through the 6th unscathed but exited with a man at first in the 7th and Charles Benoit gave up a Jay Milner RBI single to make it 2-1, before Kent Sakamoto drove in a run off of Brian Schlitter in the 9th to make it 3-1.
Lakewood’s Edgar Garcia (3-8) was on the short end after navigating eight innings and allowing just two runs on five hits.