Hub City entered Thursday night’s game looking to take the checkered flag in the race for the South Atlantic League Postseason. With NASCAR Cup Series Driver Ryan Preece in attendance to throw out the first pitch, it seemed like the night and the atmosphere were right for the Burgers to take care of business.
To add to the conditions for the night, Rangers’ #8 prospect Caden Scarborough (0-0, 0.00 ERA) would be on the bump, going against Rome left hander Herick Hernandez (3-6, 3.70). Both pitchers dueled through the first 4 innings. Scarborough faced one big jam in the top of the first after consecutive 2 out singles from center fielder Isaiah Drake and left fielder Logan Braunchweig. But got a favorable call on a bang-bang play at first when right fielder Justin Janas grounded to 2nd. Caden stranded a runner in each of the next 2 innings and worked his first clean frame in the 4th, which would be the end of his line. He struck out 5, didn’t walk a batter, and gave up 3 hits.
On the other end, Hernandez worked around his fair share of traffic. Paxton Kling doubled down the left field line with 1 out in the bottom of the 1st, but was left on after Malcolm Moore and John Taylor both struck out to end the inning. Casey Cook reached on a fielding error on the first baseman with 1 out in the 2nd only to be left on after a K and a flyout to center. Luke Hanson worked a leadoff walk in the 3rd, later forced at 2nd on a fielder’s choice Dylan Dreiling legged out, but consecutive line drive outs left the Burgers empty handed there.
The biggest scoring threat they put together came in the home 4th when John Taylor and Ben Hartl drew back to back walks to start on 8 straight balls. Casey Cook got ahead 2-0 before a called strike broke that streak and Cook followed it with a fly ball to right for the first out. Arturo Disla killed the scoring chance by grounding into an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play, and after that, Scarborough gave way to righty Brooks Fowler.
Fowler got two quick outs in the top of the 5th before running into trouble he could not escape unscathed. Second Baseman Colby Jones got the Rome rally started with a single and later stole 2nd. Shortstop Cody Miller capitalized on it with an RBI knock and Isaiah Drake made it three straight hits before left fielder Logan Braunschweig flew out to left – a scary moment when Dylan Dreiling and Paxton Kling collided hard on the play. Dreiling would stay in the game and move to center field from left while Kling exited, replaced by Maxton Martin.
Speaking of Martin, he made his presence known in the bottom of the 6th with a leadoff home run into the visitor bullpen to tie the game at 1 heading to the 7th. Brooks Fowler worked through to the 9th inning, pulled after walking the leadoff man for Jesus Gamez. Bad luck stuck for Fowler when he would be charged with an unearned run thanks to First Baseman Cooper McMurray lining to center. Dreiling took a bad route and ended up losing the ball off his glove for a run-scoring 2 base error. After a wild pitch advanced him, Catcher Mac Guscette drove in the decisive insurance run with a sacrifice fly to right.
The Burgers failed to mount a rally in the 9th after a leadoff walk to Malcolm Moore was nearly instantly taken away on a 4-6-3 double play off the bat of John Taylor. Ben Hartl was plunked with 2 away, but it was for naught as Casey Cook was rung up to end the game.
The news isn’t all bad as Greenville and Winston-Salem were unable to play tonight, instead opting for a double header on Saturday. Thus, the magic number stands at 1.5 for Hub City to clinch a playoff berth. They will take a crack at cutting it to at least half a game on Friday night at 7:05 as Dalton Pence (1-2, 1.28) takes on Garrett Baumann (5-9, 3.58).
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