Mieses Mashes, Crawdads Walk It off 5-2

July 21, 2024 – South Atlantic League (SAL)
Hickory Crawdads press release

Hickory, NC – Luis Mieses hit a walk-off three-run homer for the Hickory Crawdads to sweep LP Frans Stadium 5-3 in ten innings on Sunday afternoon.

The Grasshoppers’ three-game win extends the Crawdads’ six-game winning streak at the French, which dates back to July 1, when Cam Cauley capped the Winston-Salem Dash with an RBI single to lead Hickory to a 3-2 victory in 11 innings.

Yosy Galan put Hickory on the board first with a two-run blast to left field, giving starting pitcher Ryan Lobus a 2-0 lead heading into the third. Galan’s home run was his eighth of the season.

Lobus pitched well Sunday, hitting six frames and striking out seven. A home run by P.J. Hilson in the fifth was his only mistake, as the Georgia native led a quintet of pitchers who didn’t allow a walk all game.

With Lobus unable to claim the win, Damian Mendoza took over for Hickory (13-11, 41-49) and pitched a perfect tenth inning, setting the tone for the Crawdads’ heroics.

In the tenth, Cam Cauley started at second base as the inherited, tiebreaking runner. After a pop-up by Tucker Mitchell, Sebastian Walcott was intentionally walked by Greensboro (16-8, 55-34), bringing Mieses to bat.

Ball game!

Mieses lifted the Jaycob Deese offering to right field, causing the ball to bounce off the NC Education Lottery board and secure the sweep. Mieses would be greeted at the plate by numerous containers of sports drinks and water as the remaining guests celebrated the jubilant outcome.

Mendoza took his record to 2-0 this year, while Deese suffered a setback and fell to 2-3.

Mitchell, returning from an injury that dated back to May, collected a pair of hits, as did Anthony Gutierrez. Walcott finished the game with three safeties and reached base four times.

With his three RBI, Mieses shares the team lead with Yeison Morrobel (36 on the season).

The Grasshoppers, SAL leaders in both home runs and walks, were limited to just seven runs, three home runs and six walks in the three games. Greensboro averages nearly five walks per game and homers 27 times more than second-place Asheville.

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