HobbsDailyReport.com
HICKORY –The top three spots in the Lexington (Ky.) Legends’ batting order laid it on the Hickory Crawdads on Monday night, going 9-for-16 with eight RBIs and four runs scored.
The Legends, before a crowd of 1,425 at L.P. Frans Stadium, won the finale in a South Atlantic Leauge (SAL) series, 11-6.
Hickory and Lexington combined for 26 hits, 14 by the Legends (31-33).
Lexington left town 7 ½ games behind Southern Division leader Greenville, S.C., which has a half-game edge over Columbia, S.C., in the first-half division race.
Hickory (25-39) is in last place in the Northern Division race, 12 ½ games back of division-leading Hagerstown (Md.), which has a 1 1/2-game lead over Greensboro.
On Monday night, Legends leadoff hitter Khalil Lee went 3-for-6 and drove in four runs. He hit his 11th home run, a two-run shot, in the second inning.
Angelo Castellano, the No. 2 hitter for Lexington, went 2-for-5 and No. 3 hitter Emmanuel Rivera went 4-for-5 with four RBIs. Rivera’s sixth home run of the year – a two-run shot – came in the first inning.
Lexington led 5-1 through two innings and 9-1 heading into the bottom of the third, when Hickory scored twice.
After scoring three runs in the seventh inning, the Crawdads were within 9-6, but Lexington added two more runs in the eighth inning.
Alex Kowalczyk had three hits and two RBIs for Hickory, and Ti‘Quan Forbes added two hits and an RBI.
Legends starter Garrett Davila (5-2) gained a win, pitching six innings. He gave up six hits, three runs (all earned) with two walks and six strikeouts.
The loss went to Hickory starter Michael Matuella (0-3), who gave up eight hits, five runs (all earned) with no walks and two strikeouts over two innings.
Hickory now goes on the road for the remainder of the SAL first-half schedule, opening a three-game series at Greensboro on Tuesday night. After games against the Grasshoppers on Wednesday and Thursday, the Crawdads finish up with games in Lakewood, N.J.
The SAL All-Star break is just ahead with the game set for next Tuesday night in Columbia, S.C.
To review Monday night’s box, click on the link below.
Additional coverage of the Crawdads can also be found on Mark Parker’s personal blog covering the team, crawdadsbeat.com.
http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?gid=2017_06_12_lexafx_hicafx_1&t=g_box&sid=t448