After another disappointing night at the plate in regards to runners in scoring position and runners left on base (2-12, 11) coupled with a tough outing from Mailon Felix out of the bullpen led to an equally disappointing 4-3 loss in 12 innings, Hub City looked to feed off ace David Davalillo (3-0, 0.92 ERA) and the energy of a Fireworks Friday crowd to get back on track and even the series. They would have to go through Winston-Salem right hander Jake Bockenstedt (1-3, 6.05) to make it happen.
Davalillo was not sharp out of the gate, walking leadoff man Cole McConnell on a full count. After a wild pitch put him in scoring position, David bounced back with a flyout to left and a looking strikeout before 1st baseman Alec Makarewicz gave the Dash an early lead with a single. Luis Pineda struck out swinging to retire the side, but before the Burgers could come to the dish for the first time, they were in a 1-0 hole.
Fortunately, the Burgers did get some early production in response. Casey Cook started things off with a base hit and later stole 2nd. He advanced 90 more feet on a flyout to right by Arturo Disla that was followed by a Gleider Figuereo bloop double that dropped in front of the left fielder in shallow left, tying the game. With 2 out, Hub City took the lead on a single from Anthony Gutierrez, who took 2nd on the throw to the plate but was left on when Yeison Morrobel chased a high fastball to end the inning.
Davalillo allowed another base runner in the second with a 2 out walk to 3rd baseman Wes Kath. But, that would be the last one for the next 3 innings, striking out three more along the way. David departed after 5 innings of 1-run ball with 6 K’s, 2 walks, and 2 hits. He got some additional run support in the bottom of the 4th when the bats put together possibly their best inning in almost two months.
Yeison Morrobel started the rally with a leadoff line drive shot into the home bullpen in the right field corner for his first homer of the season. Julian Brock followed it with a single, later getting into scoring position on a steal. Quincy Scott kept the train rolling with a walk, setting up consecutive RBI knocks for Danyer Cueva and Casey Cook. With 1 out, Gleider Figuereo reached on a fielder’s choice where Cook was caught halfway between 2nd and third, eventually tagged out 4 unassisted. However, Cueva scored on the play, capping the 4-spot and giving Hub City a 6-1 lead heading to the 5th.
Victor Simeon, Josh Mollerus, and Eric Loomis combined to hold the Dash to just 1 run over the last 4 frames, striking out 11, walking just 1, and giving up just 5 hits. The lone run came off Mollerus in the top of the 7th on a 2 out single to 9-hole hitter Wilber Sanchez that scored Kath. But, it was inconsequential in the end as the offense broke out in a big (and refreshing) way.
Hub City added an insurance run in the 5th, cashing in a leadoff double from Figuereo on a 1 out Brock knock. But, the game was broken open in the bottom of the 8th when the Spartanburgers sent 11 men to the plate, striking for a 5 spot to stretch the lead to 12-2, which was the final margin in this one. With the series even, the Burgers (26-23) will look to build off the momentum of the night and make it back to back wins on Saturday afternoon at 4:35 PM as DJ McCarty (0-2, 8.42 ERA) faces off against righty Tanner McDougal (0-3, 4.24).
