Preview: First-Place Teams Collide as RidgeYaks Visit Crawdads

HICKORY, N.C. (Interstat) — Two of the league’s hottest teams will open a key six-game series Tuesday when the Salem RidgeYaks visit the Hickory Crawdads at L.P. Frans Stadium.

Both clubs enter Tuesday’s contest with identical 7-2 records, sharing the top spot in the standings. The matchup kicks off an 11-game homestand for Hickory.

Salem will send right-hander Frank Martinez (0-0) to the mound for the 7 p.m. start. Martinez will look to set the tone against a potent Hickory lineup.

A player to watch for the RidgeYaks is pitcher Devin Futrell, who is coming off a dominant outing. In Salem’s 16-3 rout of Wilson on Sunday, Futrell threw five hitless and scoreless innings with four strikeouts. In his previous appearance on April 4, he allowed one hit over four scoreless frames with six strikeouts.

The Crawdads counter with first baseman Marcos Torres, who has been a consistent offensive force. Torres is 8 for his last 34 (.235) but delivered a major performance Sunday, going 3 for 5 with a home run and three RBIs in Hickory’s 7-1 win at Kannapolis. He has driven in five runs over his last seven games.

Salem arrives riding high after a 16-3 victory over Wilson on Sunday, powered by Futrell’s arm and a 2-for-3, three-RBI day from catcher Luke Heyman. The RidgeYaks have won seven of their last eight.

Hickory has been equally impressive, winning seven of its last eight as well. The Crawdads just concluded a successful 5-1 road trip at Kannapolis, capped by Sunday’s win where Torres led the offense and pitchers Jesus Lafalaise and Wily Villar combined for seven scoreless innings.

The weather forecast calls for cloudy skies and a game-time temperature of 78 degrees.

According to Interstat’s game simulator, Tuesday’s contest projects to be a high-scoring affair, with a predicted final of Salem 8, Hickory 7.

The series continues through Sunday before both teams embark on new series next Tuesday.