RiverDogs shut down Crawdads

RiverDogs 8, Crawdads 2

Hickory, N.C. — Adam Olbrychowski pitched seven solid innings, striking out seven and walking none as the Charleston RiverDogs defeated the Hickory Crawdads, 8-2, in the opener of a four-game South Atlantic League series at L.P. Frans Stadium on Saturday.

With the win, Charleston (21-8) regained first place in the Southern Division as Asheville fell to Savannah.

Brian Baisley and Dave Williams hit solo home runs on consecutive pitches in the top of the second inning to give the RiverDogs a 2-0 lead against Hickory starter Dustin Molleken (2-2). Abraham Almonte, who went 3-for-4 with three RBIs, added a run-scoring single in the inning.

Olbrychowski (2-2) allowed just three hits — two of them solo home runs by Eirk Huber and Marcus Davis. In winning his last two starts, the 21-year-old right-hander has surrendered just six hits in 12 innings. Charleston relievers Chace Vacek and Craig Heyer each pitched a scoreless inning.

In the fifth, Almonte tripled and scored on a passed ball, and Justin Snyder homered to center for a 5-1 RiverDogs lead. Almonte's sacrifice fly in the eighth capped the scoring.

The second game of the series is today at 3 p.m. Probable starting pitchers are Zach McAllister (3-1, 1.13 ERA) for Charleston and Rafael de los Santos (1-1, 4.01) for Hickory. In his first five starts, McAllister has allowed just 20 hits in 32 innings while walking four and striking out 25.

DP—Chas. 2. LOB—Chas. 6, Crawdads 1. 2B—Krum, Almonte. 3B—Almonte. HR—Baisley, Williams, Snyder, Huber, Davis. SF—Almonte.