Following a .500 road swing in Rome (Ga), Hub City (15-12) returned home to Fifth Third Park to face off against the Pittsburgh Pirates affiliate and SAL North division-leading Greensboro Grasshoppers (19-8). While it is asinine to make judgements about records – particularly in April and May, there is something to be said about the Hoppers’ numbers.
Greensboro entered the series leading the league in home runs (37), runs scored (159), hits (230), team batting average (.259), and slugging percentage (.432). It goes without saying, they didn’t get to be 11 games over .500 without hitting the ball, and this series might be a huge test for the Spartanburgers’ pitching, who is currently ranked 5th in the league with a 3.44 ERA, having given up just 89 earned runs, including just 11 home runs.
For the opener, Hub City sent Leandro Lopez (1-1, 2.45 ERA) to oppose Greensboro right hander Khristian Curtis (0-2, 11.48 ERA). It took an inning, but designated hitter Arturo Disla added to his legend and the ever-growing story of the torpedo bat fad by taking the first pitch he saw over 400 feet out of dead center to give the Spartanburgers the lead.
Leandro Lopez dominated his way through 5 and two-thirds innings, striking out 6 with 1 walk, and most importantly, a shutout despite 3 hits, and got three more runs of support in the bottom of the 6th when Keith Jones II unloaded. He roped a 2-2 pitch high over the raised wall at the back of the home bullpen in the right field corner to make for a 4-0 lead heading to the 7th inning.
Adonis Villavicenzio started the frame and ran into trouble after Duce Gourson singled with one out and walked center fielder Shalin Polanco. But, he got out of it by inducing left fielder Jesus Castillo to ground into a 5-6-3 double play, setting the stage for another big inning for the offense.
Gleider Figuereo and Julian Brock drew back to back walks to start the bottom of the 7th. Danyer Cueva laced a single to load the bases for Quincy Scott, who worked a walk on a full count to force in Figuereo. Dylan Dreiling soon followed with an RBI double, scoring Brock. Danyer Cueva tried to score on it as well, but was gunned out 8-6-2 for the first out. Anthony Gutierrez later drew a walk to re-load the bases, but Casey Cook earned the golden sombrero with his 4th strikeout of the night and Jones II grounded out to 2nd to end the inning with Hub City in front 6-0.
Greensboro finally got on the scoreboard in the 8th when 9-hole hitter and 2nd baseman Kalae Harrison ripped a line drive into the home bullpen in the right field corner to start the frame. The Grasshoppers would add one more off Seth Clark in the top of the 9th as third baseman Keiner Delgado drew a leadoff walk and came around on a 1 out triple off the scoreboard in right center from Polanco. But, in the end, Clark struck out Castillo and got Harrison to pop up to 3rd to end it as the Spartanburgers came away with a 6-2 victory.
The Burgers will have an early wake up call for game 2 as first pitch is set for 11:00 AM with Aidan Curry set to face a yet-to-be-determined starter for the Grasshoppers.
