After a disappointing loss in game one of the series in which Hub City’s sputtering offense went 2 for 8 with runners in scoring position and Willian Bormie gave up 4 runs on 3 hits with 3 walks trying for a save in the top of the ninth, the Spartanburgers were looking to try and get their bats in gear Wednesday night. Manager Chad Comer would turn to righty Aidan Curry (1-1, 7.06 ERA) to try and keep Winston-Salem in check while the bats tried to string together some hits against lefty Christian Oppor (0-1, 9.82).
Curry’s opening frame could not have gone much more perfectly as he coerced a couple of ground ball outs and struck out 1 in a clean inning. The offense also did their part to threaten early when Casey Cook and Dylan Dreiling started with back to back singles and moved into scoring position on a double steal. In their first chance with RISP, Arturo Disla struck out swinging on a full count. Gleider Figuereo was later hit by a pitch to put Burgers on the grill for Anthony Gutierrez, who popped the 2nd pitch he saw up to shortstop Jeral Perez. In an effort to try and double off Dreiling, he threw the ball away, allowing Cook to trot home. In the end, the Burgers left a man in scoring position and went 0-4 in that situation, but with the gifted run, took a 1-0 lead to the 2nd inning.
It did not take long for that lead to dissolve. Curry walked right fielder Matt Hogan to start the 2nd, who later advanced on a wild pitch and scored the tying run on a knock from 1st baseman Alec Makarewicz. With 2 away, the Dash threatened with the bases loaded after a single and walk back to back from Second Baseman Jordan Sprinkle and Designated Hitter Samuel Zavala. But, Curry got Left Fielder Cole McConnell swinging to get out of the jam with just the 1 run.
Hub City jumped back on top in the bottom of the 3rd on a 2 out solo home run that was lofted a mile high and deep into the home bullpen in right. They added on in the 4th with a rally that began when Julian Brock singled with 1 away. Quincy Scott and Theo Hardy kept the train rolling with a walk and an RBI single, respectively. With 2 out, Dylan Dreiling delivered just the 2nd hit of the game with RISP for the Burgers, tripling into the left center field gap to plate 2 more. He would ultimately be left on after Disla splintered his bat on a grounder to third to end the inning. But, Hub City would enjoy a 5-1 advantage heading to the 5th.
Curry departed with a final line of 4 innings, 6 strikeouts, 3 walks, 3 hits, and 1 earned run. He gave way to Joey Danielson, who rebounded perfectly from his last outing in which he blew a late lead in the finale of the series with Rome this past Sunday, retiring Winston-Salem in order. The offense complemented it by adding another run of insurance in the home half of the 5th when Anthony Gutierrez, who reached on a 1 out walk and advanced to 3rd on a balk and wild pitch back to back scored on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Julian Brock. Yeison Morrobel, who also walked, was forced out at 2nd on the play for out number two, and in the end Brock was caught stealing to end the inning, giving Hub City a 6-1 lead heading to the 6th.
Danielson yielded to Dylan McLean to start the frame, and promptly found himself in a pickle as Hogan laced a triple to right, later scoring on a balk. He got the next three in order, but that would not be the last of his issues – some of which were not his fault. In the next inning, Zavala popped up on the infield and Brock camped under it. But, Figuereo charged in and collided with him, causing the ball to pop off Brock’s glove for an E5. With 2 out, that error came back to bite as shortstop Jeral Perez blasted a homer into Chaser’s Corner in left.
Hub City failed to answer after the stretch, and once again the Dash were able to cut into the deficit in the top of the 8th. Josh Mollerus came on to relieve McLean, whose final line was 2 innings, 3 K, no walks, 2 hits, and 3 runs (only one earned). He was greeted with consecutive base hits from Makarewicz and third baseman Wes Kath. A sac bunt moved them both into scoring position for Sprinkle, who lined a sac fly to right to plate Makarewicz. Zavala struck out to retire the side, but the Spartanburgers’ lead was diminished to just a run.
Fortunately, the Burgers mustered an insurance run in the bottom of the 8th, because they would definitely end up needing it. With 1 away, Hub City worked the bases loaded on back to back knocks and a walk from the 7-9 hole hitters (Brock, Scott, and Hardy). Casey Cook ended up earning an RBI the easy way with a walk to push the lead to 7-5 heading to the 9th.
Mollerus came back out, but gave up an absolute rocket of a leadoff solo home run off the scoreboard in right center to McConnell, prompting a call to the bullpen for Adonis Villavicencio, who got the save but not without some 2 out drama. He beaned Hogan and allowed a single to Makarewicz. But, he got Wes Kath swinging to finally put an end to the cardio as the Burgers held on to even the series with a 7-6 victory.
Hub City (25-22) will look to make it 2 in a row on Thirsty Thursday as Kolton Curtis (1-1, 4.76 ERA) faces off against left hander Frankeli Arias (1-1, 5.40).
