Howlers Continue Roadtrip Blues with Loss to Hickory

The Hill City Howlers lost their seventh straight game in a walk-infested 13-1 defeat to the Hickory Crawdads.

Hill City (31-41) walked 14 batters in the game, a season high for the club that came into the game second in the Carolina League in free passes, giving up 445 prior to Thursday’s contest.

Despite the walk issues, lefty Ryan Prager turned in a nice start, completing 3.2 innings while holding the opposition to two hits and walks apiece in addition to seven strikeouts.

The Howlers opened the scoring for the first time this week on an RBI single courtesy of third baseman Yaikel Mijares, hoisting Hill City up to a 1-0 advantage with Prager on the mound in the top of the second inning.

Hickory (40-30) tied the game in the bottom of the third, scoring the run on an RBI double off the bat of catcher Sebastian Baquera.

The Crawdads sprinkled in another run in the sixth after a pair of clean frames on each side. Right fielder Braylin Morel grounded into a double play, which allowed left fielder Paulino Santana to score the go-ahead run.

Hickory would tack on two more in the seventh, one off a balk, and the other on a walk, each issued by Howlers right-hander Chase Mobley. Mobley struggled, dealing five free passes in the game.

Everything unraveled for the Howlers in the eighth, with the Crawdads pouring in nine runs.

Keegan Zinn exited in the inning and Hill City was forced to put left fielder Yerlin Luis on the mound. That was Luis’ third appearance in mop-up duty as the Howlers’ de facto position-player pitcher.

Luis surrendered six of the nine runs in the eighth, the bulk of those coming off a towering pinch-hit grand slam off the bat of first baseman Curley Martha.

The Hill City Howlers return to action Friday in Hickory at 7:00. You can stream the game on the Hill City Howlers Radio Network, MLB.tv or Bally Live.