That's what the crowd at the Arcata Ball Park witnessed Wednesday night, or at least the few hundred die hards who were around to see Jeff Giacomini's 8th-inning blast finish off the second of two wins over the Sonoma Seals. Giacomini's freeway ball produced a 7-5 win and came hours after Brandon Hayes had launched a three-run shot to right-center gave the Crabs an 8-5 victory in the opener.
If not for a stubborn refusal to lie down by the Seals, Giacomini's heroics would not have been necessary. The Crabs led 5-1 heading into what should have been the final inning, and Travis McCracken quickly fanned the first two Seals batters, but a two-out walk ignited a four-run rally that tied the game, forcing extra innings and setting the stage for Giacomini's second homer of the season.
In the first game, it was the Crabs who had to play catch-up, despite receiving a towering home run from Tommy Pavesi in the first inning that landed on City Hall. A four-run fifth gave Sonoma a 5-2 lead, but the Crabs wasted no time in bouncing back. Bobby Ethel led off the bottom of the frame with a single and eventually scored on a passed ball. Logan Lotti hit an RBI-single and after some smart baserunning put him on third, scored on a sacrifice fly by Kevin Silvett to tie the game at 5.
Lotti started the seventh-inning rally as well, singling with one out. Silvett was intentionally walked, but Hayes punished the Seals by roping one out to the left of the scoreboard.
The Crabs have now won nine straight and stand at a solid 14-2. They begin a weekend series with the California Glory Friday night at 7 p.m.
