Crawdads at Fireflies

COLUMBIA, S.C. (Interstat) — The Hickory Crawdads visit Spirit Communications Park on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. to open a five-game series against the Columbia Fireflies. The forecast calls for 67 degrees and cloudy.

Hickory (17-14) sends right-hander Moises Morales (4-0) to the mound. Columbia (15-18) counters with right-hander Jordan Woods, who struck out 14 batters over six no-hit innings in his last start May 10 at Kannapolis.

Morales has been the Crawdads’ most consistent starter, winning each of his four decisions. The Fireflies have lost four of their last five games, including a 3-2 defeat Sunday at Kannapolis, but Woods’ dominant performance provided a bright spot. He did not allow a hit and walked none in that outing, lowering his ERA to 2.70.

Hickory outfielder Hector Osorio enters the series with a hot bat. Over his last four games he is 9-for-17 with two home runs and four RBIs, including a 3-for-5 performance with a homer and two RBIs in the Crawdads’ 6-2 loss Friday to Myrtle Beach. Osorio is hitting .300 on the season.

The teams met for three games April 2-4 in Hickory, with the Crawdads winning two of three. Columbia took the middle game 5-2 on April 3, but Hickory prevailed 5-2 in the finale a day later.

Hickory has lost five of its last six games, with the only victory coming 4-2 on May 6. The Crawdads’ lineup has struggled to produce runs, scoring two or fewer in four of those six contests.

Columbia has lost four straight series openers. The Fireflies’ offense managed three runs or fewer in five of their last six games.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a 3-2 Columbia victory.

The series continues through Sunday, with both teams off Monday before Hickory returns home to host Charleston for six games starting Tuesday, May 19. Columbia travels to Augusta for six games beginning the same day.

Notes: The Crawdads placed infielder Luis Castillo on the 7-day injured list Monday with a left hamstring strain. … Columbia outfielder Brooks Bryan drove in the only run in Sunday’s loss with a fourth-inning single. … The Fireflies have not announced a starter for Wednesday’s game.