Saturday night, the Spartanburgers (20-15, 50-48) flipped the momentum of the series thanks to a clutch 7th inning grand slam from Casey Cook to ensure at least a split with a 6-5 win. In Sunday’s finale, Hub City looked to take the series with a solid chance to do so behind Jose Gonzalez (3-7, 3.08 ERA) going opposite Asheville righty Derek True (2-5, 5.51).
Gonzalez kept the trend of retiring the first 9 batters of the game in order alive before surrendering back to back 2 out singles to Catcher Will Bush and Center Fielder Lucas Spence, but Jose rebounded with a strikeout of left fielder Tyler Whitaker to get out of the jam. In the interim, Hub City had their chances to hang some crooked numbers early on, but could not capitalize.
In the bottom of the first, Casey Cook led off with a walk and stole 2nd. With 1 out, Malcolm Moore singled and later swiped 2nd to put 2 in scoring position for Rafe Perich after Gleider Figuereo struck out swinging. Ultimately, the rally was killed when Perich was rung up to end the inning.
It was nearly deja vu in the home 2nd when John Taylor narrowly missed a solo homer, instead doubling off the fence beneath the video board in right center with 1 out. Wady Mendez drew a walk with 2 out, but ultimately the scoring chance was shot when Casey Cook popped up to 2nd to end the inning.
Even chances to score just a run came by the wayside for much of the game for the Spartanburgers. In the 4th, Julian Brock drew a 1 out walk and advanced on a balk. John Taylor followed it with a single, but an unconventional double play where Quincy Scott II struck out swinging and interfered with the catcher thus erasing Taylor silenced the threat. In the 5th, Wady Mendez drew a leadoff walk, but was caught stealing. Casey Cook singled and advanced on a ground ball to third, but was left in scoring position after Cal Stark, who came in for Malcolm Moore in the top of the 3rd, was rung up to end the inning.
Jose Gonzalez continued to mow the Tourists down into the 7th inning with 2 more three up three down frames, striking out 2 more along the way. In the top of the 7th, Jose escaped another jam after giving up a 2 out single to Whitaker, who later swiped 2nd. A strikeout of Luis Encarnacion sent the game to the stretch, and in the ensuing half inning finally rewarded Jose.
Scott II drew a leadoff walk and swiped second. Wady Mendez also drew a free pass, later to join Scott in scoring position on a sacrifice bunt from Cook. Dylan Dreiling then delivered a clutch 2 run double, and later came across on an RBI knock from Gleider Figuereo, making for a 3-0 lead heading to the 8th, where the reins would be turned over to Adonis Villavicencio with Gonzalez in line for the win with 7 shutout innings, just as many strikeouts, no walks, and 3 hits. .
The top of the 8th was drama-free thanks to a 5-4-3 double play that erased a leadoff walk to shortstop Drew Vogel, getting out of the frame with a K. That was not the case in the ninth as after 2 quick outs, Villavicencio walked three straight to load the bases, forcing a call to the bullpen for Jesus Gamez. He kept the train of walks going with 2 more to plate 2 and cut the deficit to just a run. It got even more dramatic as Cristian Gonzalez worked back to a full count from 0-2, but was finally rung up to end it, as Hub City took the series with a 3-2 victory.
With the homestand in the books, the Spartanburgers will now go on the road for the next 12 games with big series against north division opponents Jersey Shore and Brooklyn. That swing gets underway on Tuesday night at 6:35 PM with matchups still to be announced.
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