Hickory hands RiverDogs 6th straight loss

HICKORY, N.C. -- Jurickson Profar's RBI triple highlighted a three-run eighth inning as the Hickory Crawdads overcame a three-run deficit to the defeat the Charleston RiverDogs, 5-3, in a South Atlantic League game Saturday night at L.P. Frans Stadium.

It was the seventh straight win for Hickory (40-27), while Charleston (25-44) matched a season-high six-game skid.

Charleston registered a pair of two-out RBI singles to take a 2-0 lead against Hickory starter Nicholas Tepesch in the top of the first inning.

Rob Segedin accounted for the first run, continuing his torrid June with a line drive to center field to score Anderson Feliz. Gary Sanchez then lofted a run-scoring single in front of Crawdads right field Josh Richmond to send J.R. Murphy scurrying home for the 2-0 RiverDogs' advantage.

Tepesch lasted five innings, yielding the two runs on five hits and three walks, while striking out one.

The RiverDogs pushed their cushion to 3-0 with an unearned run off Crawdads reliever Ben Rowen in the top of the seventh. Ramon Flores reached on a fielding error with two outs, took second base on a balk, and crossed the plate when Murphy cracked a fly ball double to deep center field.

The Crawdads surged in front with a three-run eighth inning off RiverDogs closer Kelvin Perez (0-4), taking a 5-3 lead.

The eighth inning damage made a winner of Joseph Van Meter (5-0), who authored a scoreless top of the frame to keep his mark unblemished.

The teams conclude the first half of the season with the series finale today at 5:05 p.m.

E--Mojica, Richmond, Villanueva 2. DP--Hickory 1. LOB--Chas 10, Hickory 1. 2B--Murphy 2, Sanchez, Martinez. 3B--Profar. HR--Clark. SB--Feliz, Sanchez, Villanueva.

WP--Sneed. BK--Rowen.

Time--2:27. Att--1,991.