Hub City came away from last week’s 6-game road trip to Greensboro with the most ideal result in hand – a split. That series was one where the offense showed signs of life and the starting pitching continued to turn in solid outings. Not only did the road trip produce ideal results – the standings also went in the Spartanburgers’ favor. The Bowling Green Hot Rods went on a cold spell, dropping three in a row to split their series with the Jersey Shore Blue Claws to put Hub City just half a game out of first place in the South Atlantic League South Division standings.
The Burgers returned home Tuesday night looking to try and erase that gap entirely, starting a 6-game set with the Wilmington Blue Rocks (24-33) from the North division, who they last faced in the first 2 weeks of the season, ultimately with Hub City settling for a split. Leandro Lopez (2-4, 2.34 ERA) would look to get it started on the right foot, going opposite lefty Jackson Kent (4-5, 5.26).
Lopez ended up keeping the string of solid starting pitching performances going, 5 and two-thirds shutout innings with 7 strikeouts, 4 walks, with just 3 hits, leaving a runner in scoring position in 2 of those frames. He gave way to Seth Clark, who worked 1 and a third scoreless in relief with three more strikeouts. Mailon Felix kept it rolling for the Spartanburgers pitching staff, notching 2 more scoreless frames with a strikeout and just one hit – a single given up to Dorman High School alum TJ White, who was playing left for Wilmington.
For all the amazing work on the mound by the Burgers, the Blue Rocks matched it. Hub City got a leadoff single in the bottom of the 1st that dropped over the shortstop’s head just inside the left field line from Keith Jones II. But he was immediately erased on a 6-4-3 double play off the bat of Arturo Disla. Jones was the last base runner until the 6th, when Theo Hardy drew a 2 out walk just to be left on when Jones flew to left. Otherwise, Hub City went three up three down 7 times, striking out 7 times along the way, ultimately sending this game to extra innings in a scoreless knot.
Willian Bormie would be called on out of the bullpen to try and keep it that way. He got through the 10th unscathed despite walking designated hitter Jackson Ross with 1 out, getting a 6-4-3 double play to escape the jam. His second go at it did not go well at all. Center fielder Sam Pet
ersen led off with a double to score the ghost runner Gavin Dugas. With 1 away, Catcher Caleb Lomavita added what would be the deciding insurance run as he singled to plate Petersen. An unconventional 8-3-5 double play on a fly ball to center where they deked and doubled off 1st baseman Branden Boisierre ended the inning.
Hub City made things interesting in the bottom of the frame, breaking up the shutout with the first hit since Jones’ first inning knock on a Gleider Figuereo 1 out single. Quincy Scott also singled with 2 out to advance the tying run – pinch runner Wady Mendez – to third. But, pinch hitter Luis Marquez, who was batting for Theo Hardy struck out chasing a 1-2 fastball to end the game.
With the 2-1 defeat, the Spartanburgers drop to 30-28 and await what happened to Bowling Green to see how far they will have to go to try and close the gap for first place. Whatever ends up the case there, the Burgers will try and even the series up Wednesday night with a 6:35 first pitch as Aidan Curry (2-1, 5.28 ERA) opposes righty Travis Sthele (3-2, 4.37).
