Mother nature tried once again to wreck the show for game three between the Hub City Spartanburgers (10-7) and the Greenville Drive (8-9). But fortunately, the threat of rain held off just long enough for Josh Trentadue’s (1-0, 0.00 ERA) first home start of the season, going opposite of Greenville left hander Hayden Mullins (1-0, 1.38 ERA).
Besides the threat of rain, one other thing loomed over the start of this game and that was concern for middle infielder Danyer Cueva, who suffered a non-contact injury diving for a ground ball on a potential force play at 2nd base Wednesday night. He was placed on the 7-day injured list about 2 hours ahead of Thursday night’s game, replaced on the roster by Esteban Mejia, who would be put in the lineup to bat in the eight hole and play 2nd base.
Trentadue and the Burgers found themselves in trouble right off the rip in this game with back to back singles from Yophery Rodriguez and Nazza Zanetello. But, he settled in, getting Zach Ehrhard to ground into a 6-4-3 double play and Miguel Bleis to ground out to short to avert the threat. In the bottom half of the frame, Dylan Dreiling set the tone by working the count on Mullins, fouling off three pitches with 2 strikes, eventually paying off by capping the 8-pitch AB with a single. Anthony Gutierrez and Casey Cook saw a combined 17 pitches, but both went down swinging. Arturo Disla later ended the inning on a pop up to left.
Trentadue worked his way around a runner in scoring position once again in the 2nd after issuing a 1 out walk to Andy Lugo, who later stole 2nd and went to third on a fly out to right. Albert Feliz narrowly missed a 2 run homer, flying deep to the warning track in left to extinguish the flame. After Hub City went down in order in the home half, Trentadue finally got burned. Greenville cashed in a 1-out walk to Rodriguez that was followed by a line drive into right center that rolled all the way to the fence for an RBI double from Zanetello. But, in true “Wrong Sport Night” fashion, he ‘rebounded’ with back to back K’s to send the game to the bottom of the third with the Drive having their first lead of the series.
Trentadue finally put together his first 3 up 3 down frame in what would be his last of the game in the top of the 4th. He finished with 3 hits, 2 strikeouts, 2 walks, and 1 earned run in 4 innings of work, giving way to right hander Victor Simeon after once again getting no run support in the bottom half. Simeon sandwiched a pair of strikeouts in between 3 walks to load the bases after 2 thirds of an inning, giving way to righty Joey Danielson, who walked Miguel Bleis to force home Fraymi De Leon and give the Drive a 2-0 lead.
Greenville also made a call to the bullpen after 4 complete innings, bringing on Lefty Zach Fogell, who surrendered back to back base hits to Gleider Figuereo and Cal Stark to start the frame. Both runners advanced on a balk for Hub City’s first real threat of the night, but it never came to anything as the next three all struck out to sustain the Drive’s 2-0 lead heading to the 6th.
Mailon Felix struck out one in a clean 7th inning to hold the Drive lead at 2-0 at the stretch. However, Hub City squandered yet another chance to chip away. Cal Stark singled with 1 out and was taken down 4-6 on a force at 2nd that Marcus Smith reached on. Esteban Mejia singled to put two on, but Theo Hardy tried to bunt for a hit and grounded out 1-3 to end the inning. After that, the bullpen’s scoreless streak came to an end in the top of the 8th when Kolby Johnson singled with 2 out to cash in a 1 out single from Bleis. Adam Smith struck out 2 more Spartanburgers hitters in a 1-2-3 bottom of the 8th, setting the stage for the game to snowball on Seth Clark in the top of the 9th.
Fraymi De Leon singled to lead off the frame. Zanetello doubled him home with 1 away for his 2nd RBI 2 bagger of the night. He would later come home after consecutive wild pitches. Zach Ehrhard drew a walk and would later score on a 2 out triple to left from White. Andy Lugo eventually struck out to retire the side, but heading to the bottom of the 9th, Hub City trailed 6-0.
But, if anything we have learned about this Spartanburgers team, it is that when they are down to their last outs, they embrace the same mantra the Braves do with “Don’t quit with Snit.” Hub City rallied in the bottom of the ninth starting with a leadoff walk by Arturo Disla and consecutive singles from Figuereo and Stark to put Burgers on the grill. Marcus Smith grounded out to 1st unassisted to break the shutout. Mejia grounded out to the shortstop to add another. Theo Hardy then worked a walk to set up a Dreiling RBI double to the gap in right center to score Stark. That brought last night’s hero Anthony Gutierrez up with 2 in scoring position, but unfortunately, he struck out swinging to end the game as the Drive captured their first victory in the rivalry series 6-3.
Game four is set for a weather-permitting 7:05 first pitch as David Davalillo (0-0, 0.79 ERA) is set to face Juan Valera (0-0, 7.30 ERA) on a fireworks friday at Fifth Third Park.
